Jammu: Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, GoI, in partnership with CII Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers, a defence Industry body, and Mazagon Shipbuilders Ltd., the largest defence ship & submarine builders, organised the Regional Defence MSME Conclave 2025, on 30th October at Jammu.
Centred on the theme “Promoting MSMEs into Defence Manufacturing: Enabling Policies & Ease of Doing Business the conclave brought together key stakeholders from the Ministry of Defence, Armed Forces, Defence PSUs, GeM, SIDM and the MSME ecosystem. The conclave was organized to drive the integration of Regional Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) into the national defence manufacturing landscape.
The inaugural session set a strategic tone, emphasizing the critical role of MSMEs in achieving ‘Atmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) in defence.
Maj Gen PK Saini, VSM (Retd), Principal Advisor, SIDM, in his opening address, underscored the strategic imperative of leveraging regional MSME capabilities to build a resilient and secure defence industrial base. He stated, “The MSMEs are not just vendors; they are the innovation engine and the foundation of a robust defence supply chain. Our focus is on handholding and integrating them into the mainstream defence production.
Mr. Neeraj Agrawal, DDG DOMW, Ministry of Defence, highlighted the government’s proactive policy measures. He detailed key initiatives from the Defence Ministry, stating, “The positive indigenisation lists and the simplified ‘Make’ procedures are designed specifically to create a predictable demand pipeline for domestic industry, including MSMEs. Our focus is on enhancing the Ease of Doing Business through transparent and long-term partnerships.
Providing the perspective of India’s largest defence shipyard, Mr. Biju George, Director (Shipbuilding), Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, outlined the specific supply chain opportunities for MSMEs with over 350 components reserved for procurement through MSME He further stressed on several initiatives such as waiver of EMD, ease of registration, milestone payments and technical guidance to support MSME.
Dr. M A Alim, Chairman, CII J&K UT Council, spoke about the importance of geographic diversification of the defence industrial base. He highlighted, The unique industrial landscape of Jammu & Kashmir holds immense potential for defence manufacturing. With the right policy support and connectivity between industry and defence establishments, we can unlock a new hub of defence production in the region.
Maj. Gen Shaman Chodha (SD), HQ Northern Command, provided crucial insights from the user’s perspective, outlining the specific operational requirements and performance expectations of the Armed Forces from indigenous equipment.
Sarthak Khoda, from GeM, demonstrated the platform’s functionalities for defence procurement, urging MSMEs to register and leverage the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) as a primary channel for accessing defence contracts and ensuring transparency.
Mr J Kumaran, DGM, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, elaborated on the vendor development process, quality assurance protocols, and the handholding support DPSUs extend to new MSME partners to bring them up to the required standards.
Devender Kumar Tyagi, IEDS Asstt Director, MSME-DFO Jammu, outlined the various schemes, financial assistance, and skill development programs available through the Ministry of MSME to support entrepreneurs in the defence sector.
The conclave, attended by over 90 delegates, concluded with structured B2B meetings, facilitating one-on-one interactions between MSMEs/start-ups and representatives from Defence PSUs, the Ministry of Defence, and industry leaders. These meetings provided a platform for exploring specific partnership opportunities, addressing technical queries, and discussing potential collaborations.
The event was supported by Jammu and Kashmir Trade Promotion Organisation (JKTPO) Nodal Agency of Government of J&K for Investment Facilitation
