BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister
Naveen Patnaik has urged Prime Minister
Narendra Modi for setting up of a defence industry corridor and an Aeronautical University in the state for the growth of defence industry.
In his letter,
Naveen said Odisha provides a comprehensive ecosystem and state-of-the-art industrial infrastructure facilities for indigenous design, development and manufacturing in defence and aerospace sector.
He explained that the state is a proper place to create such corridor because it is the largest producer of steel, stainless steel and aluminium in the country with availability of defence and aerospace grade products from the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), Tata Steel, Hindalco Industries Limited and National Aluminium Company Limited (Nalco).
Existing manufacturing, testing and research ecosystem in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), aero engine facility at Koraput, Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, DRDO Laboratory at Balasore and ordnance factory at
Balangir will help the proposed corridor.
He further said that large pool of skilled manpower and presence of national institutes like IIT, NIT, IIM, IIIT, IMMT, IIIT, NISER and XIMB will help the defence industry to grow. Besides, the state has more than 1 lakh acres of industrial land bank and dedicated industrial regions to support downstream industries in aerospace and defence sector, he added.
The chief minister mentioned in the letter that Odisha is in advanced stages of promulgating a dedicated defence and aerospace manufacturing policy to promote cluster-based development of the industry. “In view of these unique advantages in the state, the overall cost of production of defence and aerospace products will be very competitive,” said Naveen.
He requested
Modi to consider setting up of a dedicated defence industry corridor in the state. He also urged that the proposed Aeronautical University to be set up in collaboration with the HAL could be considered for setting up in Odisha to strengthen the skill and research and development ecosystem.
“My government is committed towards the national vision of achieving self-reliance in defence and aerospace design and production. The state government will ensure unmatched facilitation support for quick and successful establishment of both the Defence Industry Corridor and the Aeronautical University in the state,” said Naveen in his letter.