New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence reaffirmed its dedication to advancing reforms in defence production through the implementation of Industry 4.0 and Quality Assurance (QA) 4.0 initiatives. Defence Secretary, Giridhar Aramane, delivered a keynote address at a National Level Seminar on Quality Reforms organized virtually by the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) in collaboration with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) on July 9, 2024.
Highlighting the Ministry’s commitment, Giridhar Aramane underscored the necessity of achieving self-reliance (Atmanirbharata) in defence manufacturing. He emphasized the pivotal role of all stakeholders, particularly the domestic defence industry, in realizing this vision. The Defence Secretary stressed the importance of bolstering manufacturing capabilities through innovative approaches like Industry 4.0 and QA 4.0 to meet global standards and enhance efficiency in defence production.
The seminar witnessed participation from over 250 representatives of defence industries, members of SIDM, leading industry bodies such as FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHD CCI, officials from Service Headquarters, CMDs of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), Government QA agencies, startups, and Ministry of Defence officials.
Addressing the participants, Lt Gen R S Reen, Director General, DGQA, outlined various quality initiatives and reforms undertaken to facilitate ease of doing business and promote self-reliance in defence manufacturing. Shri Rajinder Singh Bhatia, President of SIDM, provided insights from the industry perspective on ongoing reforms and stressed the need for a collaborative approach.
Eminent speakers from the indigenous defence manufacturing sector, including Arun Ramachandani from L&T Precision Engineering, N Raveeswaran, CEO of A&D Strategic Business at Mahindra Defence, Neeraj Gupta, Managing Director of MKU Ltd, and Vrinda Kapoor, CEO of 3rd iTech, along with Dr. R Shivaraman from Big Bang Boom Solutions Pvt Ltd, shared their perspectives on quality assurance and proposed strategies to facilitate and enhance indigenous manufacturing capabilities in the defence sector.