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On the second and last day of the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment & Infrastructure Summit, a session titled "The Skies of Tomorrow: Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing in Assam" was held at Khanapara Veterinary College field in Guwahati on Wednesday.
This session explored Assam's potential in the aerospace and defence manufacturing sector with a dynamic lineup of policymakers, industry leaders, and innovators. As the keynote speaker, Rupesh Gowala, Minister for Labour Welfare, Tea Tribes and Adivasi Welfare, and Home(Prisons, Home Guards and Civil Defense), Government of Assam, reaffirmed the government's commitment to fostering an ecosystem that supports aerospace and defence manufacturing in the state. He highlighted that under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam is rapidly growing and on its way to becoming a hub for aerospace and defence manufacturing. He also mentioned that initiatives like Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat are driving self-reliance and positioning India as a global defence manufacturing hub. Gowala further stated that the Government of Assam has recently introduced the Assam Aerospace & Defence Manufacturing Policy, 2025, which presents compelling opportunities for both domestic and global defence manufacturers. He invited investors, manufacturers, startups, and technology leaders to collaborate in shaping India's future aerospace and defence manufacturing hub. Following this, the Principal Secretary (IT), Gopinath Narayan, gave a quick overview of the incentives offered under Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Policy 2025 of Assam, stated that these incentives were comparable or better than the incentives offered by other States and addressed the specific needs for encouraging investment in this sector within Assam. The session then began with context-setting and panel moderation by G Satheesh Reddy, President of the Aeronautical Society of India and ex-chairman of DRDO. Who highlighted Assam's potential in the aerospace sector and emphasized the critical role of innovation and collaboration. Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria praised the state government for its significant efforts in advancing the aerospace and defence sectors. He commended the proactive steps taken to enhance the region's capabilities in these industries. Dr Chandrika Kaushik, Director General, DRDO, highlighted that the research lab in Tezpur, Assam, aimed at addressing the specific needs of the Indian Armed Forces. She stated the DRDO will provide assistance and facilitate integration with the industry ecosystem, supporting skill development, training, and testing centres as required, further strengthening the region's defence capabilities Rajinder Singh Bhatia, President of SIDM, Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers, stated that SIDM is committed to supporting defence startups in Assam and would be happy to open a chapter of SIDM in Assam. He stressed the importance of investment sentiment in promoting investment in the State and said that he could feel the change and that the situation was now ripe for take-off. Dr Sarag J Saikia, Founder and Chief Technologist of Spacefaring Technologies, shared that his company is already manufacturing critical components for fighter jets, which are being supplied to the Indian Armed Forces. He emphasized that Assam possesses all the resources needed to support his operations and that his planned investment in the State would lead to the manufacture of this component in the state in the coming months. Manash Pratim Kakati, Founder of Qoptars, highlighted Assam's strategic location, noting that its proximity to Southeast Asia makes it an ideal hub for creating a strong industry ecosystem with international connections. Prem Kumar Vishlawath, Founder & Chief Innovator of Marut Dronetech Pvt. Ltd and an alumnus of IIT Guwahati stressed the need and the potential for setting up testing facilities in Assam, which will give a boost to Drones and other Defence technologies to be established here. The expert panel also featured Prof. Parameswar K. Iyer from IIT-G. The Skies of Tomorrow session at Advantage Assam 2.0 set a new wave of opportunities in motion, reaffirming Assam's commitment to building a world-class aerospace and defence ecosystem. As the state moves toward becoming a key player in the global aerospace industry, this session marked a significant step in realizing its potential. (ANI)
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