New Delhi, Apr 17 (KNN) The ‘Make in India’ initiative of government of India provides immense opportunity to French and Indian industries in the field of Defence and aerospace sector through collaboration of French aerospace industry and Indian Defence Industry.

Speaking at the conference on ‘Indo-French Defence and Aerospace Cooperation’ in New Delhi, Union Minister of state for Defence, Subhash Bhamre said “The Make in India initiative offers a valuable opportunity to the French and Indian enterprises to enter into production of defence equipment in India.”

He said that Medium, Small and Micro enterprises (MSMEs) posses greater potential and thus capable of contributing to global supply chain.

To make India a self-reliant in production of Defence and Aerospace, he said that the biggest challenge is to overcome the technological gaps.

Highlighting the factors favoring India including colossal requirements, strength of small and medium enterprises and skilled human capital, he added that the opportunities are humongous for any country partnering with India.

In order to utilize these opportunities fully all stakeholders are required to involve in the design and development of defence equipments, he added.

Bhamre said that the French Industry experience will help the India in developing a technology-driven eco-system and develop a supply chain covering a wide range of technologies.

In this direction the French aerospace industries association GIFAS and the society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) has signed an MoU for leveraging each other experiences and enhance cooperation to expand trade in their respective domains.

The two industries will help each other in tapping opportunities existing in the partner countries in the area of defence and aerospace, said Lt General Subrata Saha, director general of SIDM.

“We are going to find the GIFAS right partners and inform them of the opportunities that exist here. In turn, the GIFAS will inform us about opportunities are available for Indian industries to plug into their supply chains.

He further added that the GIFAS will extend its full support to SIDM in guiding the local MSMEs to get validated and measure up to the standards of the global supply chain.

A GIFAS industrial delegation led by its chairman Eric Trappier is on a visit to India to interact with local players to enhance defence and aerospace cooperation.

The delegation will participate in a series of events in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, till April 19.

The 80-member delegation includes major aviation and aerospace players like Airbus, ArianeGroup, Dassault Aviation, MBDA, Safran and Thales.