CII Conclave: Defence industry leaders push for self-reliance

Lucknow: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) northern region on Thursday hosted the Indian Defence Manufacturing Conclave 2026 at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility in the city.Bringing together industry leaders, researchers and defence stakeholders to boost indigenous manufacturing and strengthen vendor ecosystems, the two-day conclave focused on accelerating self-reliance in defence production through policy support, innovation and deeper industry collaboration.Addressing participants, deputy chairman of CII north region, Puneet Kaura said India is steadily moving from being one of the world’s largest importers of defence equipment to an emerging manufacturing and export hub. He attributed this transition to policy reforms, domestic procurement initiatives and increasing private sector participation.Kaura underlined that sustained investments in research and development, innovation and advanced technologies would be crucial for India to establish itself as a globally competitive player in defence manufacturing.Associate director, Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, DRDO, Alok Dixit highlighted the importance of stronger collaboration among DRDO, CII and private industry to build next-generation defence capabilities. He said the technology development fund scheme is playing a key role in enabling startups and industry players to undertake defence-focused research and development and contribute to the country’s self-reliance mission.The conclave featured B2B meetings, technical demonstrations and focused discussions aimed at strengthening supply chains, aligning industrial capabilities with defence sector requirements, and accelerating indigenisation in the strategic sector.