‘UP Defence Corridor to emerge as knowledge hub’

Prayagraj: General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Central Command, Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta on Wednesday highlighted the importance of the triple-helix model of collaboration involving industry, academia and the armed forces for advancing defence innovation.

Addressing the concluding day of the North Tech Symposium, Lt Gen Sengupta expressed confidence that the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) would evolve into a knowledge corridor and emerge as a hub for the development of new defence technologies.

He acknowledged the role of UPDIC and the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) in facilitating the establishment of defence and aerospace manufacturing units in the state.

The Army commander said Central Command had undertaken 28 research and development projects over the past year, resulting in investments worth ₹600 crore in Uttar Pradesh.

Referring to the state’s ambition of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy, Lt Gen Sengupta said UPDIC was playing a significant role in achieving this objective.

“Raksha Triveni Sangam stands as a testament to the strong partnership between the civil government and the armed forces,” he said, while thanking all stakeholders for the successful organisation of the North Tech Symposium.

Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, GOC-in-C, Northern Command, also addressed the event and lauded Uttar Pradesh’s contribution to the expansion of defence manufacturing, industrial growth and expressway infrastructure in the country.

He underlined that the development of cutting-edge defence capabilities was possible only through sustained collaboration among private industry, government institutions and the armed forces.