HYDERABAD: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday said that Telangana was firmly positioning itself as a national leader in aerospace and defence manufacturing and expressed confidence that by 2030, Telangana would emerge as India’s undisputed aerospace and defence capital.
He stated that aerospace and defence were among the priority sectors identified by the state government under its industrial policy framework. He was speaking at a seminar on “MSME Spark 3.0 — Aerospace & Defence Manufacturing” organised by the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI), in association with the Department of Industries and Commerce.
Describing Hyderabad as one of the world’s most cost-effective aerospace destinations, Uttam highlighted the city’s strong ecosystem comprising defence laboratories, research institutions, advanced manufacturing facilities and a vibrant MSME base. He informed that nearly 1,500 MSMEs in Telangana were currently part of the aerospace and defence supply chain ecosystem.
Military modernisation
National Security Advisory Board member G Satheesh Reddy said that the conclave coincides with the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor.
Stating that India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years, he noted that the Defence Acquisition Council recently approved acquisition proposals worth around `3.5 lakh crore under the Acceptance of Necessity framework, one of the largest military modernisation approvals in India’s history.
DRDO Director General (Production Coordination & Services Interaction) Chandrika Kaushik said that more than 2,000 industries were currently contributing as development partners in DRDO projects across sectors, including missiles, radars, torpedoes, arms, ammunition and advanced systems.
FTCCI chief R Ravi Kumar, FTCCI Industrial Development Committee chairman P Krishna and former NITI Aayog member VK Saraswat were present on the occasion.