Chennai: The second edition of Defence and Technology Expo 2023, aimed at boosting the involvement of medium, small, and micro enterprises (MSMEs) in the Indian aerospace and defence sector will kick-start on September 3 in Chennai. Dubbed as ‘Transforming India Edition 2.0’, the three day event will conclude on September 5.
Chennai-based think-tank Swatantra Foundation in association with the Federation of Industry and Management Association (FIMA) is organising the second edition defence expo. According to the organisers, the key objectives of this expo are to support MSMEs in entering the aerospace and defence sector of the country and promote the indigenisation of defence equipment. Additionally, this expo aims to support the development of the Tamil Nadu Defence Corridor and explore opportunities for Indian companies to engage in joint ventures and investments with foreign companies. It will also assist foreign companies in finding potential joint venture and collaboration partners in India.
The expo organised in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) and the Department of Defence Production (Ministry of Defence) will host Minister of State for Defence, Ajay Bhatt as the chief guest.
The second edition of Defence and Technology Expo 2023 promises to unite numerous MSMEs and major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), such as the Defence Research and Development Organisation, under one platform, fostering meaningful interactions. In addition to the exhibition and seminars, the event will facilitate numerous Business-to-Business meetings aimed at fostering collaborations. These meetings will provide MSMEs with the opportunity to gain insights into the specific needs of OEMs and present their products as viable solutions. In the previous edition of the expo, approximately 500 such meetings took place, and this year, it is anticipated that this number will double, reaching an impressive 1000 meetings.
Representatives from Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), the Armed Forces, ISRO, and DRDO are expected to attend this expo. The Government of India’s emphasis on Atmanirbharta or self-reliance in defence production has created significant opportunities for private sector companies in the defence R&D and manufacturing sector. With the capital procurement budget of 1.63 lakh crore, the central government allocated more than 75 per cent to local industries, up from 68 percent last year.
The intense push by the government for Atmanirbharta has finally started to yield results. The value of defence manufacturing by Indian local industries crossed the 1 lakh crore mark for the first time this year. It stands at 106,800 crore, marking a rise of 12 per cent over FY 2021-22. Various reforms and schemes launched by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), such as the Technology Development Fund (TDF) and the iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) challenge, have enabled small startups and MSMEs to develop advanced high-tech products. The four positive indigenisation lists launched since 2021 are also contributing to the creation and strengthening of local supply chains for various high-tech equipment. Moreover, contracts worth more than 7,000 crore were signed with local industries by the Indian Army alone to counter the Chinese, utilising the emergency powers of Rs 300 crore granted to the Vice Chief of the three services.
According to the organisers, the upcoming second edition will “motivate Industry—Academia—DRDO—Armed Forces—Financial Institutions to collaborate to expedite indigenisation, and with support from the end users (Armed Forces), engage in innovation.
The organisers further added, “This will be a unique partnership with financial Institutions like banks coming in and support a consortium of MSMEs with Research & Proto Type support from Academic Institutions, DRDO providing Technology and other support, Armed Forces providing usage details to help go in for innovation and Industries can form a consortium to meet up not just sub-system but system level development.”
