(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Nov 11 (KNN) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a review meeting of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) On November 10 at the newly inaugurated DPSU Bhawan in New Delhi, where four DPSUs - MIL, AVNL, IOL and HSL - were felicitated upon receiving Miniratna Category-I status.

The newly inaugurated DPSU Bhawan is expected to serve as a collaborative hub for all 16 defence PSUs, featuring simulation facilities, conference spaces, and an exhibition area to support integration and industry outreach.

He noted that the transformation of the erstwhile Ordnance Factory Board into seven corporations has enhanced autonomy and operational efficiency, further stating that Miniratna status will enable the four firms to pursue capacity expansion, modernisation and strategic partnerships.

India recorded defence production worth Rs 1.51 lakh crore in FY24-25, with DPSUs contributing 71.6 percent, Singh said. Exports reached Rs 6,695 crore.

“This clearly indicates that 'Made in India' defence products are gaining global respect,” he added, urging PSUs to accelerate indigenisation of critical technologies, strengthen R&D, improve quality and adopt a strategic export approach.

He directed firms to present measurable indigenisation roadmaps at the next review.

Three MoUs were exchanged at the event, including agreements by HAL and BDL to support Yantra India Ltd's modernisation and establish a 10,000-ton forging press - a key step towards reducing imports of aluminium alloy components. Another MoU enables a Metal Bank at MIDHANI to ensure raw-material security for defence programmes.

Singh also unveiled new R&D initiatives, including the HAL R&D Manual and a consolidated DPSU R&D roadmap, marking a shift towards indigenous design over licensed production.

He launched SWAYAM, a compendium on sustainable defence manufacturing aligned with the Comprehensive Energy Efficiency Action Plan 2023, supported by digital monitoring tools such as the SWARNA Dashboard.

(KNN Bureau)

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