Subhash Chandra, Secretary, Department of Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence today said that the MSMEs and start-ups need to be integrated into the defence manufacturing ecosystem.

They also need to be encouraged not just by the defence public sector companies but also the armed forces, he added.

Speaking at the seminar on 'ARMY MAKE PROJECTS - 2019' organized by FICCI, jointly with the Indian Army, Chandra said, "MSMEs across the globe have in many ways also been the drivers of change and innovative solutions. That is where we feel our entire ecosystem must come together to support the larger manufacturing environment."

He emphasized that collaboration between industry and defence is the need of the day, and pointed out that the DDP would extend all possible support to sort out industry concerns.

"Industry concerns have also been taken into consideration and demystifying of work processes will come only through interactions. The three-armed forces also need to open their doors for discussions with the industry," he added.

Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane, Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Indian Army said that the government is committed to Indianization and Make in India. "We have the capability but unfortunately we have not built upon it, or we have not changed with time. Now is the time to once again build up the inherent capability to become self-reliant," he said.

To reduce the import dependence, the Vice Chief of the Army Staff stressed upon the need for higher spending on research and development (R&D). "We will be able to proceed only if we spend on R&D. That has been our greatest weakness. Unless we invest in R&D, unless we think of future generation requirements, we will always be playing catch-up," he added.

JD Patil, Chairman, FICCI Defence Committee and Whole Time Director and Member of the Board, Larsen and Toubro, said that the government, armed forces and industry have to come together to achieve the desired goal of the MAKE process.

He added that the industry needs fundamental platforms, and technological products to be done in India.

"From 1991 the whole of Indian industry dramatically grew to become, in certain sectors, the largest in the world. If that can happen in the industry, so can happen in defence," he said.

Col HS Shankar (Retd), Member, FICCI Defence Committee and Chairman and Managing Director, Alpha Design Technologies Private Limited, said, "In MAKE-II, the risk is with the industry and not with the services. We need the services to make quick decisions."