NE NEWS SERVICE
PUNE, NOV 2
Aiming to boost indigenous defence production and facilitate interaction with the industry, the Indian Army’s Southern Command Headquarters and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) on Tuesday announced that they have formally launched the first Regional Technology Node (RTN) and SIDM Start-Up Forum here.
Held in hybrid mode, the event was live streamed and attended by heads and representatives of more than 100 industries, Start-ups and Army establishments from across the country.
#SouthernCommand alongwith SIDM launched a maiden Regional Technology Node at Pune to enhance handshake between field Army & Industry. To boost Indian industry participation, a Start Up Forum was launched alongside. Indian Army taking an another step towards #aatmnirbharbharat. pic.twitter.com/GXFj1xqtQz
— Southern Command INDIAN ARMY (@IaSouthern) November 2, 2021
Delivering the Keynote Address, Lt Gen JS Nain, GOC-in-C, Southern Command, emphasised upon the timely absorption of cutting edge technologies for military modernisation, achieving self-reliance in defence manufacturing and the role of Indian industry in the same. He exhorted the industry to come forward with their proposals and become a partner in the process.
Keeping in step with AatmaNirbhar Bharat and ‘Make in India’ push of the Government, the Ministry of Defence & Army have taken large strides in indigenisation of defence equipment with the aim of reducing dependency on foreign suppliers and eventually emerge as an export hub for defence goods.
With Launch of RTN at Pune, the reach of Army Design Bureau has been extended to the Tech hubs of Southern region. This will encourage industries, MSMEs and Start-ups to come forward & propose solutions for the Army’s modernisation requirements.
Other dignitaries present on the occasion were Jayant D Patil, President SIDM; Maj Gen Kirti Jauhar, Additional Director General of the Army Design Bureau; S P Shukla, Vice President SIDM; Abhishek Jain, Chairman, SIDM Start-up Forum and Col Rajinder Singh Bhatia (Retd), President & CEO Defence, Bharat Forge Limited.
