ARJUN Main Battle tank is manufactured by state-owned Ordnance Factories Board

Exhibitions related to the defence sector held in Chennai and Coimbatore in the recent months seem to have triggered interest among the industries here on opportunities in the sector.

V. Sundaram, president of Coimbatore District Small Industries’ Association (Codissia), said the defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) had shared with the association details of small and medium-scale enterprises in this region that visited their stalls at the exhibitions. The Codissia is following up with the SMEs. “Some have registered with even three or four DPSUs and are visiting these industries,” he said.

The SMEs should become suppliers to the defence, get acquainted with the defence products and systems. This will take some time. But, the process has started, he said.

S. Ravikumar, president of Coimbatore and Tirupur District Tiny and Micro Enterprises, said several micro unit owners visited the expo held in Coimbatore. They are confident of taking up orders for the defence. However, they need to upgrade their facilities in terms of machinery, financial resource, and equipment to ensure quality. The immediate benefit of such events will be for the SMEs. When the defence corridor is established and when more industries here start manufacturing for the defence, the micro units will get opportunities, he said.

According to a press release from the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM,) the Ministry of Defence will set up an India pavilion at ARMY 2018 to be held in Moscow from August 21 to 26. Both, the public and private sector manufacturers can display their defence products at the expo. The SIDM will co-ordinate with defence public sector undertakings and the private sector in the country for participation at the exhibition. The International Military - Technical Forum (ARMY) is organised and supported by the Ministry of Defence of Russian Federation.