The critical issues such as developing a comprehensive approach towards national security, boosting domestic defence production and those issues which can enhance the efficiency of various departments of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) were discussed in length during the two-day brainstorming called ‘Chintan Shivir’ concluded on 20 June in New Delhi.
“The purpose of this event was to address and tackle the diverse issues and challenges encountered by different departments within the Ministry and generate innovative ideas to enhance governance,” the MoD statement said.
The Department of Defence (DoD), Department of Defence Production (DDP), Department of Military Affairs (DMA), and Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW) conducted separate brainstorming sessions during the event. According to the statement, experts in respective fields actively participated in the sessions, sharing their valuable perspectives on a wide range of pertinent topics.
Department of Defence Production (DDP)
Issues such as enhancing production and defence exports, increasing “atmanirbharta” (self-reliance), road ahead for indigenisation, industrial ecosystem and skilled workforce, enhancing level-playing field and quality reforms were discussed during the sessions related to the Department of Defence Production.
The DDP sessions revolved around five key themes, namely: “Advancing Self-Reliance; “The path towards Indigenization;” “Boosting Production and Defence Exports, and Industrial Ecosystem and Skilled Workforce;” “Creating a Level Playing Field,” and “Quality Reforms.” A panel of experts from diverse domains within the A&D sector shared their insights and perspectives.
The industry welcomed the interactive nature of the open-house discussions. It emphasised that significant strides have been made in the past, assuring that further progress will be made to achieve the goal of domestic A&D production reaching Rs 1,75,000 crore, including A&D exports of USD 5 billion by 2024-25.
The DDP has compiled the key points arising from the Chintan Shivir to facilitate necessary course corrections and reforms in the future, promoting the continued growth of the indigenous A&D manufacturing sector and embracing niche technologies in support of the vision of an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat,’ informed the Ministry and added that the sessions comprised of various stakeholders such as senior officials from the department, Chairman and Managing Directors of Defence Public Sector Undertakings, A&D Industry leaders, Quality Assurance Agencies, and Academia.
Department of Defence
The Department of Defence deliberated on issues including developing a comprehensive approach to national security, cyber security challenges, national information security policy and guidelines, Sainik School education system and strengthening capacity building in defence acquisitions.
“The primary objective was to generate ideas for improved governance and a more business-friendly environment,” reads the statement. Throughout the sessions, distinguished experts in their respective fields from organisations such as the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), Intelligence Bureau, Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), as well as serving and retired officers and academics, shared their insights and perspectives on these themes with the officers of the DoD. Furthermore, an interactive open house session was also conducted, enabling participants to contribute various suggestions to enhance organisational efficiency.
Department of Military Affairs (DMA)
The DMA covered critical issues such as the integration and optimisation of human resource aspects, addressing training and operational issues to enhance synergy, and modernising and strengthening the Armed Forces’ capabilities in the strategic domain. Discussions took place on ways to identify and eliminate colonial practices and outdated laws and to incorporate the country’s own values and practices into the functioning of the Armed Forces, the Ministry said.
Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare
The Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW) engaged in deliberations regarding three key topics: “Harnessing SPARSH to enhance pension services and other welfare initiatives for veterans,” “Enhancing veterans’ employability through resettlement and fostering entrepreneurship for the establishment of small veteran-owned enterprises,” and “Enhancing the quality of healthcare services provided to veterans.”
The event was organised in line with the government’s directions to have a real-time audit of the objectives achieved till date and carve a way forward towards achieving the desired goals in realistic timelines, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Team BharatShakti
