UP Defence Industrial Corridor: Kanpur Workshop Calls For Stronger Local Industry, MSME Integration

Lucknow, Sep 5 (KNN) A regional defence workshop held in Kanpur on Wednesday explored ways to strengthen the city's role in the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC), with participants calling for greater integration of local industries and MSMEs into the defence manufacturing supply chain.

The workshop, titled ‘Strategic Uttar Pradesh’, was organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) at Hotel Eternity in Bithoor. 

Representatives from local industries and MSMEs, defence sector experts, research and development institutions, industry associations and government departments participated in the workshop.

Focus on Local MSMEs

Participants said the Defence Corridor should not be limited to large investments and called for Kanpur's existing industrial base to be integrated into defence production.

Discussions focused on connecting industries involved in engineering, machinery and technical products with defence manufacturers and developing their capabilities to meet sector-specific requirements.

Experts also stressed the need for stronger collaboration between research institutions and industry to promote defence technology and innovation.

Kanpur is one of the six strategic nodes of the UPDIC. The workshop sought suggestions on improving the city's industrial capabilities, investment potential and innovation ecosystem for defence manufacturing.

Local entrepreneurs highlighted challenges faced by industries in entering the defence sector and sought better infrastructure, policy support and other enabling measures.

Industry-Academia-Research Collaboration

Speakers emphasised sustained cooperation among the government, industry, research organisations and educational institutions to advance self-reliance in defence.

Participants said leveraging Kanpur's technical expertise and skilled workforce could help create new investment and employment opportunities while strengthening the city's position in the defence manufacturing ecosystem.

Officials from the Army and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) also participated in the programme.

Under the ‘Strategic Uttar Pradesh’ initiative, a similar regional defence workshop is proposed in Jhansi, followed by a Defence Conclave in Lucknow in December. The programmes are aimed at developing strategies to strengthen the capabilities of all six nodes of the UP Defence Industrial Corridor.

(KNN Bureau)