New Delhi, Aug 19 (KNN) Coimbatore Small Scale Industries Association (CODISSIA), the leading body of MSMEs in Tamil Nadu will be organising a seminar on make in India in defence acquisition on 19^th August, at CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex, Coimbatore.

FISME, the leading federation of MSMEs in India and the only MSME body being consulted by the Defence Ministry for participation of MSMEs in defence acquisition is working with CODISSIA to make it a hub of defence suppliers and vendors.

To make participation of MSMEs in Defence procurements systemic, FISME has initiated formation of a MSME Defence Suppliers’ Group, as a platform  for handholding of MSMEs in defence strategic supplies through information sharing, techno-managerial consultancy and strong advocacy.

The seminar is being organised concurrently with the SUBCON 2016 Exhibition and Fair, being organised by CODISSIA from 18^th to 20^th August, 2016.

The annual  programme is a source of successful outsourcing for the public sector undertakings and about 250 MSME Units from various fields will be  displaying their manufacturing capabilities.

To link MSMEs with the defence acquisition, FISME has supported CODISSIA in arranging participation by defence organisations like DRDO, the R&D institution of Ministry of  Defence and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Goa Shipyard, two leading warship makers.

Besides executives from the above organisations, eminent experts on defence procurement will also participate in the programme to explain the MSMEs the intricacies of defence supplies and quality standards.

Since announcement of the ‘Make in India’ mission for Defence Procurements by Shri Manohar Parrikar, Defence Minister of India, FISME is consistently following up with the Defence Ministry for a respectable share for MSMEs in Defence Procurements.

Besides forwarding a series of position papers on the capabilities of Indian MSMEs in Defence Procurements, the matter was personally taken up by the President, FISME, at the highest level in the Ministry, which resulted in organising of a ‘Brainstorming Session’ by FISME, in Delhi,  June 2016, which was chaired by the Defence Minister himself.

The due diligence of  FISME resulted in reservation of ‘Make’ projects upto Rs. 10 crore in defence procurements for MSMEs. The ‘Make’ projects are those, as mentioned in the recently announced Defence Procurement Procedure 2016, where Ministry of Defence will support Indian Industry in developing items  not so far made in India. (KNN Bureau)