It's not just 'Make in India', but 'Make the best in India', is what the industry hails from the defence sector and the very ambitious policy of Modi. Dr Subhash Bhamre, Union Minister of State for Defence, a day before India celebrates its 68th Republic day, called out for more sustainable partnerships between government and private, in making the best in India.
"Earlier hardly any interaction with services and private sector was encouraged which proved detrimental to the growth. In the NDA government we are laying special emphasis on self reliance of the country and indigenously designed and manufactured products. We see enormous opportunity in joint ventures including aerospace and civil aviation", said the minister.
Speaking at the 'Indian Defence & Aerospace Summit 2017', Lt Gen Subrata Saha, Deputy Chief of Army Staff, stated the expectation of the Indian Army form the Defence Industry to win India's war with Indian solutions and called for a collaborative effort.
"The Indian Army is the most suited for Make in India, one, for its low cost and second the technological requirements are comfortable to achieve. The huge imports are not helping anyone and I see no reason why we cannot change", said Lt Gen.
The indigenisation in true sense would be 3 way partnership between Government, industry and academia, "We have to move from the legacy methods to smarter methods and build up smart industry complexes around anchor industries which bring skills, quality and subsidiaries and anchor institutions which put the R&D on front foot", said Lt Gen and articulated how in the last few years MoUs have been signed with IITs and IISs and greater emphasis are made to make the academia understand the requirements of the army for technological and IT based solutions.
Addressing the Summit, Prof. MD Nalapat, Editorial Director, Itv Network expressed immense confidence in the Make in India policy initiative of the government and partnerships and capacity building would play a greater role in the same.
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Naina Sood is a Economics graduate and has done her post graduation in International economics and Trade. She has deep interests in Indian economy and reforms
