Delhi, 7 February (H.S.): The Industry Quality Assurance (QA) Conclave, on the theme ‘Collaborative Quality Assurance: Bridging the Gap Between Industry and Defence’, was held in New Delhi on February 07, 2025. Delivering the keynote address, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar highlighted India’s strides in defense manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. He underlined the pivotal role of innovation, collaboration, and quality assurance and mindset in making India a global leader in defense exports.

The conclave aimed to foster deeper collaborations and innovative strategies between the defense sector & shipbuilding industries to promote indigenisation and excellence in defense manufacturing.

Chief of Materiel, Indian Navy Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh described technical innovation, collaboration, and rigorous testing as key pillars for a robust and quality-driven defense ecosystem. Director General of Quality Assurance Shri N Manoharan highlighted the importance of a strong QA-industry partnership and the need for standardized, innovative, and risk-managed processes to enhance the quality of defense manufacturing. Additional Director General (QA) Warship Production Rear Admiral Iqbal Singh Grewal highlighted the critical role of emerging technologies and streamlined QA processes in achieving excellence in defense manufacturing.

Discussions at the conclave explored innovative quality assurance practices, including proactive quality control strategies and enhanced collaboration frameworks between defense organizations and the shipbuilding industry. Efficient type testing and certification methods aligned with global best practices to reduce project delays and failures were also presented.

Participants delved into strategies for balancing QA with project timelines and integrating delay mitigation strategies to ensure timely project completion without compromising quality. The conclave further emphasized the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and their impact on QA processes.

Organized by the Directorate General of Quality Assurance, the event witnessed participation from senior government officials, industry leaders, naval representatives, and quality assurance professionals. The conclave provided a dynamic platform for knowledge sharing, collaborative brainstorming, and forging meaningful connections among stakeholders, including shipyard executives, QA professionals, policymakers and researchers.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar