The Ministry of Defence has announced release of Rs 20 crore to the Coimbatore District Small Industries' Association (Codissia) for setting up a Defence Innovation Centre. Making this announcement, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said MSME units and start-ups engaged in manufacture of components for the defence sector could use the centre for conduct of tests and trials.
The sector's requirement is huge. "We are the third biggest armament procurement country in the world," she added. The ministry had made an assessment of the defence production requirement, the number of MSMEs that were engaged in supply of components to the sector, ahead of her visit to this industrial hub, the Minister said, adding "more would come this way going forward".
Responding to the announcement, Codissia President Sundaram said the association would utilise the grant for establishment of the Centre and aid more Codissians get into making components for the defence sector