To boost indigenous defence production and facilitate interaction with the industry, Indian Army’s Southern Command on Tuesday formally launched the first Regional Technology Node (RTN) at Pune.

The event was organised by Headquarters Southern Command in conjunction with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM). The programme also included a launch of a start-up forum by SIDM and was live streamed and attended by heads and representatives of more than 100 industries, start-ups and army establishments from across the country.

Delivering the keynote address, Lt Gen JS Nain, General Officer Commanding-in Chief, Southern Command, emphasised upon the timely absorption of cutting edge technologies for military modernisation, achieving self-reliance in defence manufacturing and the role of Indian industry in the same. He exhorted the industry to come forward with their proposals and become a partner in the process.

Jayant D Patil, President of the Society, Maj Gen Kirti Jauhar, Additional Director General of the Army Design Bureau, S P Shukla, vice-president of SIDM, Abhishek Jain, chairman, SIDM Start-up Forum and Col Rajinder Singh Bhatia (Retd), president and CEO Defence, Bharat Forge Limited were among the dignitaries.

In line with the Atmanir Bharat and Make in India push of the government, the Defence Ministry and the Army have taken major strides in indigenisation of defence equipment with the aim of reducing dependency on foreign suppliers and eventually emerge as an export hub for defence goods.

Published on: Tuesday, November 02, 2021, 10:53 PM IST