PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun Uttarakhand government is planning to establish the State as a defence manufacturing hub. A broad outline of the plan was presented in a Defence sector roundtable organised here on Friday. Speaking on the occasion, the secretary, Industries, Government of Uttarakhand, Vinay Shankar Pandey said that India’s defence sector is entering a decisive decade, marked by increased domestic procurement, record production levels and significant export growth. He emphasized that Uttarakhand is well-positioned to adapt to this national transformation with strong policy support, land availability, and institutional facilitation mechanisms. Pandey informed that the State currently has over 3,800 acres of strategically located industrial land available in IMC Khurpiya, IIE Sitarganj, Nepa Farms and other industrial areas, which are well connected to Delhi, major national highways, railway corridors and airports. “Under Uttarakhand’s Mega Industrial and Investment Policy, capital grants of up to Rs 400 crore are provided for large investments. Manufacturing enterprises in the MSME sector receive up to Rs four crore in grants and startups are supported through venture funds,’’ he said. The deputy director general, Ministry of Defence, Anil Kumar Rai said that the Union government is simplifying compliance burdens to increase private participation in the defence sector. “The government is also opening the defence sector to foreign direct investment. Today, private sector participation in defence production has reached approximately 20 percent,’’ he said. The deputy programme director Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), Gangei Gawand said that iDEX is providing grants up to Rs 25 crore to start-ups working in the innovation and defence sector. The commissioner of Industries, Uttarakhand Saurabh Gaharwar, State government is committed to providing a transparent, efficient, and collaborative environment for defence investors. The department will strive to incorporate the suggestions received at today’s event and develop a comprehensive policy for the defence sector, he said. The conference concluded with a plan to establish Uttarakhand as a significant contributor to India’s defence manufacturing growth journey.
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