Chennai: Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) on Thursday organised a Defence MSME Conclave at Avadi, Chennai, under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence, Department of Defence Production.

C. Ramachandran, Director (Finance), AVNL, was the chief guest, while Biswaranjan Pattanaik, Director (HR), AVNL, attended as the guest of honour. The event witnessed participation from senior executives of AVNL, Army officers, representatives from Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), industry bodies, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), and the media.

Welcoming the participants, Anurag Sharma, Chief General Manager, Engine Factory Avadi, highlighted the significance of the conclave. Praveen Kumar, Chief General Manager, AVNL, said the event was part of the Department of Defence Production's initiative to promote MSME participation in defence manufacturing by integrating them into the supply chain of DPSUs, private defence firms, and foreign OEMs.

In his keynote address, Ramachandran underscored the crucial role of MSMEs in India's economic growth and called for increased collaboration between MSMEs and DPSUs to boost indigenisation of defence equipment.

A Ministry of Defence delegate made a presentation on the 'Srijan' portal, showcasing government initiatives aimed at enhancing MSME participation in defence manufacturing.

The conclave, attended by over 200 industry representatives, concluded with an interactive session on strengthening MSME-DPSU collaboration for global competitiveness in the defence sector.