MSME stake-holders in Tiruchi look forward to optimising the facilities in higher educational institutions in the process of deriving utility of simplified ‘Make-II’ procedure of the Centre envisaging a major boost to ‘Make in India' in the defence sector.
“Establishing start-ups on the campuses of universities and institutions of national importance will also pave way for establishing a robust eco-system for incubation activity. MSME organisations in the region anticipate progress in Tiruchi, one of the five nodes for the proposed Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor, on this trajectory,” Founder-Chairman of Tiruchi Trade Centre N. Kanagasabapathy said.
A few industries in Tiruchi have been supplying components for defence equipment for long. There is now more components to choose from for indigenous production, Mr. Kanagasabapathy said.
The ‘Simplified Make II' procedure was designed by the Defence Acquisition Council during 2018 for greater participation of industry, thereby enabling import substitution and promoting innovative solutions.
The potential ‘Make-II’ projects will be approved by a collegiate comprising DRDO, HQ (IDS), Department of Defence under a committee chaired by Secretary (Defence Production). Based on the in-principle approval agreed by the committee, the projects will be hosted on the Ministry of Defence/Department of Defence Production’s website inviting industry to take part.
There will be no limit to the number of industries who may respond to the EoI for development of the prototype subject to meeting the minimum qualification criteria. The design and development time of 12 to 30 weeks is granted to industry to offer the prototypes. The industry developing the product will retain the title and ownership and all other rights in intellectual property. However, for some specified reasons like national security, the government shall have ‘March-in’ rights. Projects involving developmental cost of less than three crores will be reserved for MSME.
Acknowledging MSMEs as backbone of the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor, the State government has exhorted the sector to derive the utility of the special provisions under the ‘Make II’ procedure for indigenous defence manufacturing
