Vision

To undertake or use research and analysis as the main element of the arguments to inspire and inform public and private policies, provide policy guidance, global best practices and offer solutions to government and industry towards building and operationalizing a world class defence industrial base in India.

Focus Areas

‣ Promote development of a world class defence industrial ecosystem integrating government, industry and academia resources to achieve self reliance.

‣ Assessment of the evolving international and national regulatory framework on Arms trade and impact on the national industrial base.

‣ Examine role of state for advancement of technology and innovation with mission oriented investments in R&D and public-private collaboration.

‣ Development of process protocols to bridge the gap between frontline research to new product prototype and serial production.

‣ Innovative investment options for defence sector like Technology Development Funds, viability gap funding, angel investors and PE funds.

‣ Development of requisite skill sets for the workforce required for the defence manufacturing ecosystem.

‣ Serve as a Knowledge Partners to provide research reports on regulatory, compliance and policy issues.

‣ Examine potential export areas for indigenous developed products.

Objectives

The think tank would meet the following objectives:

• Provide focus, and to predict and plan future developments of the indigenous defence industrial ecosystem, which will have an impact on the policy discourse and the related implementation strategies with particular reference to a robust and responsive Acquisition procedure.

• Examine investment options for defence sector through financial viability and Innovative Business Finance models including Technology Development Funds, viability gap funding arrangements, angel investors and PE funds.

• Revisit and examine a more contemporary and digitised decision making model for capital acquisitions across the entire value chain from concept to contract conclusion.

• Assessment of the international and national regulatory framework relating to Arms Trade and its implications on the national industrial base.

• Incentives and concessions for a viable defence industry; Work towards corporate structures that support dynamism, horizontal and lean organisation structures and a responsible authority and accountability matrix that contributes to effective and efficient decision making.

• Examine the role of the state as primary risk taker for advancement of technology and innovation through DRDO and how to promote Technical Superiority with mission oriented investments in R&D and collaboration between public and private institutions.

• Create new process protocols to bridge the gap between frontline research to new product prototype and serial production.

• Examine the effectiveness of existing Acquisition procedures and promote digitization in tendering processes and standardization of contract terms as per international business norms.

• Foster development of requisite skill sets for the workforce required for the defence manufacturing ecosystem and assess impact of automation in manufacturing processes and re-skilling of workers.

• Facilitate systematic development of defence manufacturing infrastructure and suggest measures for defence industrial hubs by establishing linkages between industry, central and state governments and other stakeholders.

• Function as a single point source of business advisory services for industry particularly on government processes, procedures, laws and compliance and regulatory requirements for the defence business.

• Establish linkages between industry, government and other stakeholders for the furtherance of the national defence industrial base.

The Think Tank will achieve this objective through a range of activities consisting of, workshops, seminars, talks by eminent speakers, conferences and research papers and publications. It will also maintain an interactive website and provide paid and full or free and limited access to members to its publications, conference proceedings and talks. In addition it will also promote knowledge partners through Centres of Excellence as a collaborative venture between academic institutions and industry to work towards innovation in emerging areas of advanced technology like robotics, equipment for high speed communications, new materials, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence etc and become technology demonstrators. It will also promote joint exchange programmes with similar regional and international institutions.

Thematic Focus Areas

Policy Advocacy:

1. Interlink national defence strategy and the doctrinal paradigm, operational imperatives, economics and technological dimensions in the development of the national defence industrial base.

2. Impact of globalization on the indigenous industrialisation efforts and need to benchmark technological and commercial competitiveness with futuristic development in the sector.

3. Outline the steps needed for the development of indigenous R&D and bridging of gap areas in different technology domains to bolster creativity and innovation.

4. Issues on standardization, quality, IPR, political control on technology, export restrictions and FDI in defence.

Systems and Processes:

5. Rationalization of testing and evaluation processes and sharing of government facilities to optimize cost and infrastructure.

6. Review of Acquisition procedures and examine the relevance and efficacy of existing models and suggest alternate methodology where required.

7. Life cycle maintenance and upgrade of weapons and systems on Public Private partnership models.

Development of the Defence Industrial Ecosystem:

8. Defence industrial base as a primary driver of manufacturing capabilities in the country and its impact on the sustainment of military capabilities and emergence of India as a responsible regional power.

9. Present a periodical sector wise (land systems, aerospace, maritime systems) status report on achievement of indigenous content by the Indian industry as per the levels defined by government and highlight best practices.

10. Spin off benefits of key sectors like aerospace,shipbuilding, IT and electronics hardware, telecommunication equipment, surveillance systems, cyber security, and so on with dual use technology connotations.

11. Macro level mapping of manufacturing capability to facilitate sector wise hubs for aerospace, shipbuilding, electronics, combat vehicles, missiles and armaments.

Cost Competitiveness and Financial Modelling:

12. Formulate models and methodologies for cost audit and financial implications of the indigenisation efforts.

13. Conduct Studies on the economic dimension of the indigenous industrial base and development of technological capabilities for long term affordability and employment generation.

14. Assess the incentives and concessions and other policy prescriptions particularly relating to taxation and international trade which will impact this sector at both the national and state level.

Business Model

The overarching business model is to deliver value to customers, cultivation of trust and reputation to stakeholders, induce funders to pay for value, and convert revenues to research outcomes that have the potential to guide policy and provide expert guidance to government and industry with data driven well researched and highly informed professional inputs.

Documents