PHDCCI, in association with the Indian Navy, Department of Defence Production, Government of India, and the Ministry of MSME, Government of India organized an Industry Interactive Session & B2B Meetings on the Indigenisation Requirements of Indian Navy: Opportunities for MSMEs on 12th September in New Delhi. The key highlight of this interactive session was the B2B meetings where more than 70 one-on-one meetings took place between the industry and the Indian Navy.
Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani, AVSM, VSM, Chief of Materiel, Indian Navy, was the Chief Guest for the Conference which also saw the presence of Rear Admiral K Srinivas, Assistant Chief of Materiel, Indian Navy Cdr Deepak Kota, Cdr (Indigenisation) –I, Indian Navy, Mr. Satish Bharathan, General Manager, Larsen & Toubro Limited, Capt. Nikunj Parashar, Founder, Sagar Defence Engineering, Col. Rajneesh Akhoury, VP – Business Development,
TARDIS Technologies Pvt Ltd and Mr. Ajay Rajawat, Project Director- RRU, SASTRA-DIIS. The Welcome Address was given by Mr. Pradeep Multani, President, PHDCCI, and the Vote of Thanks was given by Col. Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General, PHDCCI.
While addressing the industry stakeholders at PHDCCI’s Indigenisation of requirements of the Indian Navy, Opportunities for MSMEs Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani, AVSM, VSM, Chief of Materiel, Indian Navy, shared the historic perspective of the Indian Navy which was already following a visionary path for indigenization.
If India has to achieve complete self-reliance then we have to work optimally utilizing our incredible talent pool and make them an efficient part of the ecosystem, in becoming Atmanirbhar, especially in the MSME sector. The Navy has always gone ahead and helped industry and will continue the same, said Vice Admiral Naithani
We have embarked on stable platforms and are working on more such platforms to help the industry and other stakeholders added Vice Admiral Naithani.
Credible testing facilities were a major challenge earlier but now the Indian Navy has come to the forefront in this direction to meet world standards. Underwater ranges, marine turbines, documentation, quality issues all have been worked upon therefore converting each challenge into an opportunity, said, Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani.
Mr. Pradeep Multani, President, PHDCCI, mentioned that indigenization is the capability of developing and producing any defense equipment within the country for the dual purpose of achieving self-reliance and reducing the burden of imports. Self-reliance in defense manufacturing is one of the key objectives of the Department of Defence Production. As far as indigenization is concerned, we have to take the first steps first where we have the in-house capability to manufacture the materials, components, and assemblies.
Col. K V Kuber, Director (Aerospace & Defence), Ernst & Young LLP, mentioned that the Indian Navy has acquired adequate expertise in the hull design and construction of various types of warships. In the field of propulsion systems (barring Marine Gas Turbines and Propulsion Diesel Engines) and related auxiliaries, support services like air conditioning,
refrigeration, etc., production capabilities are available in the country. Till the recent past, indigenization was focused on import substitution through reverse engineering and was limited to components/subsystems. This method, though helpful in the management of existing inventories, the IN remained saddled with decades-old technology. Indigenization strategy is, therefore, primarily focused on technology development in gap areas rather than requirement-based indigenization.3He added that we are also reasonably self-sufficient in power generation and distribution systems, communication systems, Combat Management Systems, Sonars, and Electronic Warfare Systems.
Mr. Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General, PHDCCI, while presenting a formal vote of thanks deliberated upon modernization and enhancement of naval capabilities which are an ongoing process. We are assured that the Indian Navy is striving to address the capability enhancement in areas such as aircraft carriers, tankers, landing platform docks, mine countermeasures vessels, submarines, and integral helicopters, added Mr. Sanyal.
Technical Session was moderated by Col K V Kuber.
Cdr. Deepak Kota gave a detailed presentation on the various initiatives and avenues of the Indian Navy and how it provides opportunities to the MSMEs to become a part of the defense supply chain of the Indian Navy. He also invited the MSMEs to participate more and more in the growing indigenization requirements of the Indian Navy.
Mr. Satish Bharathan shared the various initiatives taken by L&T to promote the interest of the MSMEs and that they are keen to take new MSMEs on board in their various projects of the Indian Navy.
Mr. Nikunj Parashar gave insight into the support given by the Indian Navy in handholding the MSMEs and the Start-Ups to the extent possible and integrating them into their supply chain. They are proactively supporting the MSMEs in providing them with newer opportunities. It is for the MSMEs to take benefit out of their initiatives and indigenization plan.
Col. Rajneesh Akhoury shared that their experience of working with the Indian Navy was really amazing for the fact that the Indian Navy wants the Indian companies to come up with new solutions to their problem statements and they are ready to handhold them at all levels.
Mr. Ajay Rajawat said that they had an altogether different level of experience working with the Indian Navy and they had developed solutions for the Indian navy which has been subsequently been indigenized.
More than 70 B2B meetings took place with the Indian Navy Officers. More than 200 industry delegates participated in this meaningful and timely conference.
The event was partnered by L&T, Starware India Ltd. Micron Instruments Pvt. Ltd., and supported by CODISSIA and RRU. EY was the Strategic Partner for the Conference.
