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While urging the MSMEs to be cost competitive and quality conscious, Ajay Kumar, Secretary- Defence, Government of India, said that in the new paradigm, the Government envisioned a huge role for the industry in the coming years.
“We are looking to double the number of MSMEs in the defence and aero space sector in the next four to five years. We will encourage a lot of this to come from Codissia and Coimbatore,” he said, chairing a meeting organised by Codissia to kickstart the activities of Codissia Defence Innovation and Atul Incubation Centre (CDIIC) via a virtual link.
The event marked inking of agreements by CDIIC with 5 Base Repair Depot, Air Force and Naval Ship Repair Yard, Kochi for indigenisation of their components and products.
Hailing Codissians’ strength in making a mark in engineering goods and auto components among others, Kumar said, “It is extremely relevant for the ecosystem of Coimbatore and the right time (considering the transformation in the auto component industry) for Codissia members to tap the opportunity in the defence and aero space sector. There are 1000s of engineering students who can participate in this new venture and make it possible.”
The CDIIC should work towards joint certification for various kinds of products, indigenising several components which are being imported at present and tap the opportunities - not merely to meet the domestic requirement, but in exports as well.
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Thus stating, the Defence Secretary said that global OEMs had evinced tremendous interest to source various items/ products from India.
Reverting to testing and certification, while emphasising the need for a review of the procedures, he said ït has to be tech-driven. The cost of certification sometimes exceeds the development cost. We need to benchmark the process against the best in the world.”
V Sundaram, Director, CDIIC, earlier appealed for a single tender process (for CDIIC members) as against the open tender that is in vogue.
He further said that the MSMEs servicing the defence and aero space sectors should be allowed to work in a cluster-like approach ( by the participants - such as fabricators, plastic- mould makers, etc) joining hands in making of a product. “This would reduce the investment cost for each of the MSMEs. If this approach is cleared, we at Codissia will ensure to save ₹ 100 crore forex for the Government in five years,”he said.
K Gopal, Principal Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, said that the State has started to take rapid strides in the Southern Defence Corridor project.
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