Government quality agencies recast themselves as facilitators as defence MSMEs seek export foothold

 CHENNAI:
India’s defence quality and testing agencies are recasting themselves as industry enablers as Centre pushes to deepen domestic manufacturing and lift exports in high-technology segments ranging from armoured vehicles to electronic warfare systems.

Senior officials from the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA), the Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE), Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) and Troop Comforts Ltd (TCL) signalled a marked shift: from gatekeeping to facilitation during a two-day conclave hosted by the CODISSIA Defence Innovation and Atal Incubation Centre (CDIIC) in Coimbatore recently.

DGQA Director General N Manoharan said the organisation was moving away from its traditional “fault-finding” role to one that supports industry in meeting global standards. The agency is promoting two mechanisms—the Defence Testing Portal, which gives companies unified access to laboratories across DRDO, DGQA, PSUs and IITs, and a government-backed export certification programme that acts as a “marketing passport” for Indian firms pitching abroad.

Manoharan said India must prioritise investment in high-dependence imports such as gyroscopes, propellants, explosives and AI-enabled drones. He urged MSMEs to mine policy frameworks such as the Defence Acquisition Procedure and the Srijan portal to identify gaps that private industry can fill, adding that India’s export ambitions hinged on products that are “better, reliable and high-quality.”

DRDO’s CVRDE, the country’s lead agency for armoured fighting vehicles, also opened its advanced test infrastructure to private industry through its Research, Design and Development route. Director J Rajesh Kumar noted that while the defence business is capital-intensive and low-volume, it offers 30–35 years of recurring orders in spares and sustainment. All prototypes must navigate demanding user trials and DGQA-led technical tests before induction, he added—standards intended to build a resilient domestic ecosystem.

TCL Chief General Manager B S Reddy underlined the scale of the opportunity, pointing to the Ministry of Defence’s ₹7.82 lakh crore budget. Of the ₹26,000 crore worth of defence imports this year, private firms accounted for 60%, he said—a sign of market realignment. TCL, carved out of the former Ordnance Factory Board in 2021, has emerged as a leader in body armour and protective equipment and is expanding into bulletproof vehicle solutions for several state governments. “Future growth depends on quality,” Reddy said, urging MSMEs to aggressively tap the Srijan platform.

BEML signalled similar intent. The state-owned manufacturer plans to source more than ₹1,000 crore of components annually from MSMEs as part of its indigenisation push. Executive Director V Sekhar said the company has identified 2,700 import-dependent items for development through the Srijan portal, offering startups pre-defined specifications and support through self-funded and joint-development models. BEML, he said, would “handhold” partners through testing, DGQA clearances and field trials.

Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, is positioning itself as a lynchpin of India’s defence manufacturing build-out. The Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor has secured commitments worth ₹28,890 crore, with ₹4,087 crore already deployed, said TIDCO Senior Vice-President V Vinayagam. Four new testing facilities—ranging from electronic warfare and electro-optics to materials testing—are being established under the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme, with 75% central funding. Upcoming assets include the ₹400 crore Coimbatore Technology Cluster and the Sulur Aero Park, India’s first industrial zone with runway access to an air base.

The corridor is also backing the Thoothukudi Spaceport, which is expected to cut SSLV launch costs by 30%—and underpin the state’s broader Aerospace & Defence Policy (2022) and Space Policy (2025).