ICC hosts 2nd Defence MSME Manufacturers Forum in Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Aug 1 (TNT): The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) on Saturday organised the second edition of the Defence MSME Manufacturers Forum (DMMF) in Hyderabad to promote greater participation of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India’s defence and aerospace manufacturing ecosystem.
The forum, held under the theme “Make in India for the World: Empower MSMEs for India’s Defence & Aerospace Future,” brought together senior government officials, policymakers, Defence PSUs, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), industry leaders, startups and MSMEs to deliberate on strengthening the country’s defence manufacturing capabilities.
The inaugural session was attended by Telangana Industries and Commerce Special Secretary Krishna Aditya, IAS, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. Chairman and Managing Director Commodore P.R. Hari (Retd.), Azad Engineering Executive Director Vishnu Malpani, Telangana Director (Aerospace and Defence) Praveen P.A., Industries and Commerce Director Nikhil Chakravarthy J. (IA&AS), MIDHANI Chairman and Managing Director Dr S.V.S. Narayana Murty and ICC Director General Dr Rajeev Singh.
The forum highlighted the rapid growth of India’s defence manufacturing sector, with defence production reaching ₹1.78 lakh crore and exports touching ₹38,000 crore during 2025-26.
It noted that policy reforms and increased procurement have significantly expanded opportunities for MSMEs in the defence supply chain.
Participants also underlined Hyderabad’s emergence as a major defence and aerospace hub, citing the presence of Defence PSUs, DRDO laboratories, missile and aerospace manufacturing facilities, defence electronics companies and a growing network of technology-driven MSMEs and startups.
During the event, ICC released the second edition of its report, “MSMEs – A Force Multiplier for India’s Defence Ecosystem,” and announced the launch of the Southern Region Defence Chair.
The discussions focused on enhancing MSME participation in defence and aerospace manufacturing, promoting collaboration among industry, startups, academia, research institutions and government agencies, and positioning Telangana as a preferred destination for defence, aerospace, electronics and advanced manufacturing.
The forum also featured Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Government (B2G) meetings, enabling direct interactions between MSMEs, defence companies, OEMs, Defence PSUs and government officials.
Representatives from Apollo Microsystems, Skyroot Aerospace, Electro Circuit Systems, GalaxEye Space, Centum Electronics, Magtorq, triOSpace Security Solutions, L&T Precision Engineering & Systems, Bharat Dynamics Ltd. and EY participated in the event.
The organisers said the forum reaffirmed the commitment of stakeholders towards strengthening public-private collaboration, promoting technology indigenisation, empowering MSMEs and advancing India’s goal of becoming a global defence manufacturing hub.
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