India's second defense innovation center to come up in Maharashtra
What's the story
Nashik in Maharashtra will be the site of the country's second defense innovation hub after Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, Union Minister of State for Defense Subhash Bhamre said in a defense industry stakeholders meeting in the city yesterday. Bhamre said the new defense innovation hub will help local industries and entrepreneurs and further the Center's Make in India push in the country's defense sector.
Aim
Target: To make country among top-five arms exporters by 2025
Bhamre said the Ministry of Defense had set a target of making the country among the top five arms exporters by 2025. By then, he added, the plan is to achieve annual arms exports of Rs. 35,000 crore. Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan, Ajay Kumar, Secretary, Defense Production, Air Marshal VR Chaudhari and HAL chairman-MD R Madhavan were also present at the function.
Planning
Center to fund start-ups, manufacturers to carry out research activities
The innovation hub will rope in start-ups and SMEs to cater to the need of the country's defense forces. All the infrastructure and funds to the start-ups and manufacturers to carry out the research activities will be provided by the Center. HAL, BEL, and Nashik Industries & Manufacturers Association (NIMA) will work together to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the hub.