Saturday, August 02, 2014: Taking cognizance of the fact that the strategic electronics sector offers an unprecedented opportunity for manufacturing in India, the electronics industry association ELCINA is organising the Strategic Electronics Summit 2014 in Bengaluru. The fifth edition of the summit was organised on 30-31 July at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bengaluru.
Mooted in 2010, the Strategic Electronics Summit (SES) brings all the stakeholders on one platform to enable better understanding of requirements of country’s defence forces. The Summit aims to facilitate creating indigenous capabilities and encourage R&D to manufacture electronics equipment for defence sector and meet India’s requirements for enhanced self-reliance.
It is worth mentioning here that India’s defence expenditure one of the top ten in the world. India is one of the biggest importer of defence equipment, thrice as much as China and Pakistan. Large scale modernisation of defence forces is on the anvil. According to a press statement from ELCINA, the next decade is likely to see an exponential growth in combat systems as well as non-platform based defence strategic electronics programs, with the requirement for the 12th plan (2012-2017) being pegged at over Rs.10,00,000 million. These would include Tactical Communication System (TCS), Network Centric Warfare System (NCW), Future Infantry Soldier as System (FINSAS), tank electronics, air defence systems, avionics, navigation equipment, radars, sonars, night vision devices and a host of associated and embedded electronics.
The production of strategic electronics in India has been growing steadily from Rs 57,000 million in 2007-08 to Rs 90,000 million during 2010-11. As per the projected growth rates and industry estimates, electronics production in defence sector in India reached Rs 120,000 million during 2012-13 and exceeded Rs 138,000 million during 2013-14 recording a growth of over 15 per cent.
To discuss the issues related to the sector, SES 2014 will witness the participation by the largest defence PSU’s including HAL, Bharat Electronics Ltd. Electronics Corporation of India Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Ltd. Top scientists and officials from DRDO Labs and some of the best Indian private sector companies are coming together at the event to share opportunities and challenges that need to be overcome and the high expectations from the liberalization of the policy regime under the new government.
SES highlights the new defence production and offset policies and encourages new investments for developing strategic strengths. Acknowledging the importance of developing indigenous sources the ELCINA President, Subhash Goyal, says “The government has rightly allowed 49 per cent FDI in defence recently which will result in greater access to new technologies and provide confidence to global defence majors while investing in India. There is an urgent need to accelerate the process of investments and supporting manufacturing within India by domestic as well as global companies”.
Adding to that, Rajoo Goel, ELCINA secretary general, says the Summit has been organised every year since 2010 and has successfully created awareness about the opportunities in this sector has been over-whelming. We involve the small and medium enterprises who face entry barriers in this sector which requires high investments in R&D and long gestation periods for acceptance from users. SME’s lack resources to break these barriers and need policy and government support for becoming strong players in the sector.
With a new government at the Centre, the expectations of the local industry should be met and result in the reversing of the trend of 70 per cent imports and 30 per cent indigenous production. The government has stated clearly its intent of ensuring the growth of indigenous defence manufacturing base in its policy Road Map.
Objectives Of The Event
* Bring all stakeholders on one platform to enable better communication and understanding of requirements of the defence establishment.
* Facilitate in creating indigenous capability to manufacture defence equipment and meet these requirements.
* Create awareness about opportunities in the Strategic Electronics sector.
* Involve the Small and Medium Enterprises to meet the requirements of Defence Forces.
* Bridging the gap between R&D, Government organizations and businesses.
* Explain and highlight the new Defence Production and Offset Policies.
* Encouraging and enabling investments for developing strategic strengths.
