Seeks industry inputs in developing necessary Infrastructure

In a recent stakeholder interaction organized jointly by CII and Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy, Advisor for Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing, Government of Andhra Pradesh, former Chairman of DRDO, and Advisor to the Ministry of Defence, Government of India sought views and inputs from industry on ways of making Andhra Pradesh a destination for Aerospace, Defence, and Maritime manufacturing.

The conversation also focused on Visakhapatnam’s potential to develop into a hub for Defence and Maritime manufacturing, particularly for underwater domain awareness.

Addressing the CII Members Dr Reddy emphasized the importance of developing innovation clusters, plug-and-play testing facilities, and Centres of Excellence in technologies like AI, robotics, cybersecurity, aerospace, underwater systems, and dual-use platforms.

“Given the shifting global dynamics, countries are increasing their investments in defence and strategic infrastructure. This opens up significant opportunities for Indian industries, not only domestically but globally.

Andhra Pradesh, with its favourable policies and strategic location, is well-positioned to be a major player in this space. Visakhapatnam, in particular, has huge potential to become a hub for underwater domain manufacturing and innovation” said Dr Reddy.

Mr J Srinivasa Raju, Chairman, SIDM, Andhra Pradesh outlined the opportunity to establish a state-of-the-art Defence and Maritime Industrial Park near Visakhapatnam.

This park he opined would address India’s strategic needs while creating an innovation-driven ecosystem that caters to both the Indo-Pacific region and global markets.

Mr DVS Narayana Raju, Chairman, CII Visakhapatnam, reiterated CII’s commitment to enabling Andhra Pradesh’s transformation into a global hub for defence and aerospace manufacturing.