As part of the recommendations of the Sectoral Group of Secretaries-10 (SGoS-10), Department of Defence Production (DDP) has adopted a Vision and Action Plan 2019-2024 to enhance self-reliance and technologies, leveraging ‘Make in India’ and maximize the untapped employment and economic potential of the Defence Sector.

The details of action taken by the Government are as follows:-

• The Government is focusing on development of suitable human resource pool to support indigenization of the science intensive industry like special technology universities and special departments within existing universities.
• The R&D Infrastructure Schemes such as Sophisticated Analytical and Technical Help Institutes (SATHI) and Promotion of University Research in Scientific Excellence (PURSE) are open to start ups and manufacturing industries along with the researchers/scientists of academic organizations including development of suitable human resource pool to support indigenization of the science intensive industry like special technology universities and special departments within existing universities.
• Under the SATHI scheme, dedicated manpower will be made available to help with the data collection, interpretation and dissemination of the information.  The aims of this scheme are: (a) procurement and maintenance of high-end equipment and infrastructure facility necessary for research/testing/manufacturing/fabrication to cater to the demands of researchers, scientists, students, start-ups, manufacturing units, industries and R&D Labs; (b) Providing access and sharing of scientific equipment and infrastructure; (c) Capacity Building of operators and technicians for efficient operations and interpretations of results/outcome; and (d) Monitoring of usage of expensive scientific research infrastructure for maximum utilization of Infrastructure Management with efficient operations and to be a part of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ (Self Reliant India Campaign).  Currently, three SATHI Centres have been established at IIT Delhi, BHU Varanasi and IIT Kharagpur.
• The PURSE program is an on-going scheme exclusively for the University Sector being implemented by R&D Infrastructure Division of Department of Science & Technology since 2009.  This program has broadened and created excellence in the R&D base around the performing Universities in India.  The synergy and focus of research under this scheme may preferably be aligned to National Missions/priorities.  The broad objective in each case is to support potentially high impact, interdisciplinary research (both basic and applied) aligned to National Priorities/Missions.  Currently, 54 Universities have been identified for support under the PURSE Program.
• In addition, Department of Defence Production through Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) framework aims to achieve self-reliance and foster innovation and technology development in Defence and Aerospace by engaging industries including MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, R&D institutes and academia. iDEX has forged strategic partnerships with premier institutions of the country such as IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IISc Bangalore, T-Hub, IIIT Hyderabad,  IIT Hyderabad, IIM Ahmedabad, Forge Coimbatore and Maker Village, Kerala.  These Partner Incubators help discover, explore and support startups/MSMEs and develop human resource pool to support indigenization of the science intensive industry.

This information was tabled in a written reply by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Shripad Naik to a question asked by Dr Arvind Kumar Sharma in Lok Sabha today.

Nampi/DK/Savvy/ADA