‘CoE key step to make our nation self reliant’

Varanasi: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between IIT-BHU Varanasi and Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) for setting up a “Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Machine Tools Design” at IIT (BHU) under MHI scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in Indian Capital Goods Sector Phase II.
The MoU was inked by the IIT-BHU director, Prof Pramod Kumar Jain, Director and the joint secretary, MHI, Vijay Mittal in the presence of the Minister of Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey and the secretary, Heavy Industries, Kamran Rizvi at Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi on Friday.
According to the IIT-BHU spokesperson, under the scheme, a Centre of Excellence on Machine Tools Design has been sanctioned for the development of three high-end Machine Tool technologies. The project cost is being jointly funded by MHI and HMT Machine Tools Ltd. The CoE is aiming to enhance Global Competitiveness in the Capital Goods Sector and expedition of R&D activities in the sector.
During the MoU exchange, Prof Jain highlighted that the IIT-BHU is one of the leading technical Institutes and has maintained high academic standards since its inception. The IIT-BHU has produced alumni who made a mark for themselves in the field of Engineering and Technology. The CoE will be an important step in Make in India machine tools with a higher degree of reliability and efficiency for growth in the Capital Goods Sector to make India ‘Self Reliant’, discontinuing foreign procurement and encouraging domestic sourcing, he said.
Prof Jain said that the CoE is likely to make outstanding contributions toward Machine Tool Design. The Indian manufacturing industry has come a long way in the last five decades, producing a wide range of machine tools, including CNC machines and other advanced machinery. Thanks to in-house design and development activities, the sector has reached a particular level of efficiency, precision, and trustworthiness.
Prof. Jain further informed that the tangible outcomes of the CoE includes a vibrant and world-class Centre of Excellence on Machine Tools Design with cutting-edge experimental and testing facilities for machine tools. Further, Make in India design and development of three highly imported machine tools and a state-of-art non-invasive measurement facility and quality assurance centre. The dean (R&D), Prof. Vikash Kumar Dubey presented an overview of the research activities and infrastructure of the Institute. The chairman and managing director, HMT Machine Tools Limited, Pankaj Gupta, highlighted that the collaboration between eminent Academics Institute like IIT (BHU) and industry of repute, HMT will make a significant contribution toward “Make in India”