The two-day ‘Chintan Shivir’, organised by Ministry of Defence in New Delhi to discuss various issues & challenges faced by its departments & come out with new ideas for better governance, concluded on June 20, 2023. Department of Defence (DoD), Department of Defence Production (DDP), Department of Military Affairs (DMA) and Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW) held separate brainstorming sessions, during which eminent subject matter experts shared their insights on a variety of relevant themes.

Department of Defence Production

The sessions of DDP, spread across two days, were aimed at collective brain-storming, experiential learning, making systemic course corrections and enhancing efficiencies within the indigenous aerospace and defence manufacturing sector. The event, presided over by Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane, was unique in its format as stakeholders’ participation included senior officials from the department, Chairman & Managing Directors of Defence Public Sector Undertakings, A&D Industry leadership, Quality Assurance Agencies and Academia.

The DDP sessions were based on five themes – ‘Increasing Aatmanirbharta: Road ahead for indigenisation’, ‘Enhancing Production and Defence Exports’, ‘Industrial Ecosystem & Skilled Workforce’, ‘Enhancing Level Playing Field’ and ‘Quality Reforms’ with a panel of experts sharing their viewpoints from diverse domains contributing to the A&D sector. The industry welcomed the open-house discussions in an interactive format and brought out that significant steps taken in the past are assurances that further ground will be covered to achieve the target of domestic A&D production of Rs 1,75,000 crore including A&D exports of USD 5 billion by 2024-25.

The DDP has collated the points emanating from the Chintan Shivir so as to make course corrections and reforms in due course for further growth of the indigenous A&D manufacturing sector and imbibe niche technology towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

Department of Defence

Over two days, various issues/challenges relevant to the area of work in DoD were discussed with a view to evolve ideas for better governance/ease of doing business. The broad themes deliberated upon include:

·Cyber Security Challenges to the National Security

·Comprehensive approach to National Security

·Performance Audit

·Sainik School Education System

·Capacity Building in Defence Acquisitions

During the sessions, eminent subject matter experts from NSCS, Intelligence Bureau, DRDO, C&AG, Serving and retired officers and also from field of academics, addressed and shared their views on the themes with the officers of DoD. An open house session was also organised wherein, various suggestions for enhancing organisational efficiency were received from the participants.

Department of Military Affairs

The sessions of DMA included topics of Integrating and optimising Human Resource aspects, Training and Operational issues towards achieving greater synergy and modernisation & capability augmentation of Armed Forces in the realms of strategic domain. Deliberations were held on measures to identify and abolish colonial practices and obsolete laws and further incorporate the country’s own ethos and practices in functioning of the Armed Forces.

Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare

The DESW held discussions on ‘Leveraging SPARSH for better pension services and other welfare measures for veterans’, ‘Resettlement of veterans by improving employability and promotion of entrepreneurship for start of micro enterprises by veterans’ and ‘Improvement in the health services of the veterans’.