Indian Army SIDM MoU: An MoU was signed between the Indian Army and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) on Thursday to provide further impetus to indigenisation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (a self-reliant India in defence) and to achieve strategic independence by reducing dependence on foreign origin equipment.
A MoU was signed on 25 years of Army-Industry partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), defence ministry said in a statement.
The MoD said the collaboration between the Indian Army and industry started in 1995 with the indigenisation of spares and has progressed to major defence platforms and a wide range of weapons and equipment.
READ: Brothers in Arms: India-France begin Desert Knight exercise
“Increasing security challenges due to India’s rising stature in the international community, apart from unresolved borders and revisionist adversaries require continuous and concerted capability building of the Army through modernisation to address them. This can be done by equipping the Army with indigenously built equipment,” said the ministry of defence.
It said that in order to optimise capability building and single contact with the industry, Indian Army has reorganised itself by aligning both the revenue and capital routes of procurement under Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development and Sustenance).
READ: India’s new surface-to-air missile hits bull’s eye in maiden test
The Army Design Bureau (ADB) has been established to act as a direct facilitator with the industry and connect the defence manufacturers directly with the user. These changes have resulted in a collaborative engagement between the technology provider, the equipment manufacturer and the user, said the government.
READ: Indian Army recalibrating strike corps to fight two front war
The signing of MoU with SIDM is a reaffirmation of firm resolve of Indian Army towards achieving self-reliance by supporting and handholding indigenous defence industry, said the ministry.
READ: Make in India in Defence: FICCI organizes army-industry conclave
