Army signs MoU with SIDM on indigenisation, innovation partnership

New Delhi (India), January 21 : An MoU was signed between the Indian Army and Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) on Thursday to provide further impetus to indigenisation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and to achieve strategic independence by reducing dependence on foreign origin equipment.
A Defence Ministry release said the MoU was signed on 25 years of Army-Industry partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
It said that 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.
"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," the release said.
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).
The release said 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, it said.
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, the release added.