A National Seminar on the theme “Advancing Defence Excellence through Quality Assurance” was held at Dr D S Kothari Auditorium, DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi, on November 18, 2025 under the aegis of Department of Defence Production. It was jointly conducted by the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM).

Delivering the keynote address, Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar emphasised the critical importance of quality in military equipment, noting that it directly impacts soldier safety and mission success. He urged Quality Assurance (QA) agencies to function as facilitators and enablers for the indigenous defence industry, thereby strengthening India’s march towards Aatmanirbharta in defence manufacturing.

Shri Sanjeev Kumar highlighted key initiatives, including the ongoing Industry 4.0 / QA 4.0 project being implemented in DPSUs to align with global best practices. He also outlined measures undertaken to streamline and rationalise QA requirements. Stressing the need for deeper trust between industry and QA agencies, he called for enhanced engagement, greater automation and simplified processes to ensure faster delivery of quality defence stores.

Shri N Manoharan, Director General, DGQA, outlined several initiatives of the ministry for facilitating Ease of Doing Business, including the revised Green Channel and Self-Certification policies.

Lt Gen Amardeep Singh Aujla, MGS, IHQ (MoD), and Shri Rajinder Singh Bhatia, President, SIDM, also addressed the gathering, presenting the perspectives and expectations of key stakeholders across the defence ecosystem.

The seminar also featured multiple interactive sessions, including one chaired by Dr Garima Bhagat, Joint Secretary (Land Systems), which focused on strengthening Quality Assurance and Testing Infrastructure. The discussions were highly engaging and contributed significantly to advancing the shared vision of defence excellence through robust and modernised quality assurance frameworks. The seminar witnessed the participation of more than 500 representatives from the Indian defence industry, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), senior officers from the Armed Forces and various government agencies.

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