DEFTRONICS 2014 kicks off with strong recommendations for the sector
Bangalore, India, September 24, 2014: Deftronics 2014- two day conference & exhibition focused on the Defence, Internal Security & Aerospace industry kicked off today at BIEC. Notable speakers & participants included Dr. A. Sivathanu Pillai, Founder, BrahMos Aerospace, Mr. Gopichand Katragadda, CTO, TATA Group, Mr. Dhiraj Mathur, Executive Director, PwC & many more.
BrahMos aerospace founder and noted scientist Dr. A Sivathanu Pillai today stressed the need for India to have a Military Industrial complex by enlisting large and medium cluster of industries keeping in view the rapidly growing ESDM sector across the world.
Delivering his address at the inaugural of the two day conference “DEFTRONICS” here, he said the scenario of warfare had changed now from use of weapons to electronic warfare and cyber warfare. In future, computer intelligence will acquire more importance and the use of electronic components would be more than 70 per cent. India needed to capitalize on this and those involved in defence sector needed to play a greater role. He lauded the role of DRDO and its contribution to the country so far and said cumulatively it had produced products worth more than INR 150,000 crores for the country. He observed that the need of the hour was achieving product excellence coupled with cost effectiveness and timely delivery of products. Indian electronic industry had a great role to play along with foreign collaborators he felt.
Detailing the success of BrahMos missile project in cooperation with Russia, he said the missile, today, is the universal missile system proved to be most effective in the world. Significantly, the most critical technology for the missile had been developed by Indian companies, he pointed out. Dr. Pillai stressed the need for India to move from zone of import to zone of export and said the world was entering the hypersonic era wherein USD 150 billion investments were expected to flow in. This enabled a greater opportunity for Indian companies and take active role in manufacturing products worth over USD 100 billion, he observed.
Karnataka IT and BT Minister S R Patil, inaugurating the conference, lauded the efforts of the IESA in providing a common platform to those involved in the ESDM sector to discuss the future prospects connected with the industry. He pointed out that the electronic industry was 65 per cent dependent from outside and it was time the percentage was brought down to 25 per cent. Keeping in view the tremendous opportunities the Karnataka government had announced a policy in 2013 for ESDM sector with numerous concessions. Eight ESDM companies had already registered with the Industry department to get various concessions, he added. Besides, he said, a committee headed by Mohandas Pai had also recommended marketing strategies for the products manufactured in the ESDM sector. It had also recommended creation of INR 500 crore fund for promotional aspects. Recognizing the growth of various industries in the city of Bangalore he said the city had become a natural and ideal hub for defense electronics.
IESA Chairman Ashok Chandak, in his welcome address, stressed that a time had come for India to focus on defence electronics and carve a niche for itself in ESDM sector. He observed that there was a lot of positive activism in the field of electronics and it was important to establish a platform to those involved in the industry to come together and evolve positive approach. A huge opportunity was unfolding and it was ultimately partnerships between the industries that bring strong India. India also had a huge opportunity for export, he felt.
In his keynote address TATA group CTO Gopichand Katragadda noted that there was tremendous opportunity for DRDO to create a pipeline of scientists who could give wonderful guidance for future strategies. Research and business innovative programs could be launched in India, as was done in the US, in keeping with specific needs in mind, he felt. The potential of women entrepreneurs could also be tapped in rural areas, he suggested.
Stating that Indian talent could not be replicated anywhere in the world, he said however, 90 per cent of MRO business involving overhauling and repairing of aircraft was done outside India. He said he was ready to cooperate with interested companies in this regard.
Menahem Kanafi, Consulate general of Israel to India, in his address, Indian and Israeli technologies in terms of quality were not different unlike culture. A fund called Indo Israel Innovation fund had been started to promote innovative ideas on technology. He hoped that both India and Israel would work unitedly in the field of technologies in various areas to achieve tremendous results that helps the mankind.
Falk Senger, Designated Managing Director, Messe Munchen Gmbh, in his address, explained that more than 300 exhibitors from 700 companies have participated in the two day event. Representatives from countries such as China, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and Britain also took part.
A brief report on recommendations on Aerospace Defence and internal security was also released on the occasion.
DEFTRONICS 2014, an international industry conference and exhibition focused on “Indian ESDM Ecosystem in Defense, Aerospace and Internal Security”, is being hosted by IESA and is co-located with Eelectronica India and Productronica India 2014 which is organized by Messe München International (MMI), on September 23 – 24, 2014 at BIEC, Bangalore. An exclusive DEFTRONICS Pavilion has been set up in Productronica India 2014.