Coimbatore: In an event held at CODISSIA on Saturday titled "Opportunities in Defence Manufacturing and Understanding of Defence Procurement Process", Hans Raj Verma, Additional Chief Secretary, Chairman and Managing Director of SIDCO said that Tamil Nadu is the powerhose and engine of growth for the nation and this engine is powered by the MSMEs of Tamil Nadu.
Coimbatore: In an event held at CODISSIA on Saturday titled "Opportunities in Defence Manufacturing and Understanding of Defence Procurement Process", Hans Raj Verma, Additional Chief Secretary, Chairman and Managing Director of SIDCO said that Tamil Nadu is the powerhose and engine of growth for the nation and this engine is powered by the MSMEs of Tamil Nadu.
The event was organised by CODISSIA and SIDCO in association with Society of Indian Defence manufacturers (SIDM) to create awareness on opportunities in defence sector procurement for MSMEs and how MSMEs can utilise this opportunity.
Speaking at the event SIDCO Chairman said that "TN has a very good record of industrialisation, adoption of technology, proactive management, good industrial relations and dispersal of industries across the State which is a great advantage. MSME units in Tamil Nadu are national resources, national assets."
"The Tamil Nadu defence corridor announced by the then Defence Minister has five nodes - Coimbatore, Chennai, Salem, Hosur and Trichy. And, Tamil Nadu already has engineering and technical capacity and SIDCO's strategy is to match this capacity with requirements of defence forces", he added.
"We have to go for import substitution in a phased manner. Components that are imported can be manufactured at competitive prices at par with international standards by the MSMEs in the country, particularly Tamil Nadu. SIDCO is an enabler, an interface that will connect MSMEs with the defense forces who need the components and products that MSMEs manufacture", pointed Hans Raj Verma.
Speaking to the press after the event, CODISSIA President R. Ramamurthy said, "With the defence innovation centre coming up in Coimbatore, SIDCO along with CODISSIA has taken this initiative to create awareness about the opportunities that MSMEs can avail, both in manufacturing and supply of products to the defence forces. Associations from Maduari, Chennai, Trichy, Hosur and Salem have participated in this event. There is a huge potential for MSMEs in the five nodes that connect the defence corridor."
He apprised that in a bid to bridge the gap between MSMEs and the defence sector and to clarify the doubts on defence supplies, SIDCO has taken this step in making Tamil Nadu as the defence hub of the country.
Admiral Preetham Lal, Principal Advisor to SIDM, Air Commodore, KNV Nair, Consultant- Defence and Aero Space, SIDCO, members of industrial associations across the State were present.