Hyderabad: On the second day of the high-profile Odisha Investors’ Meet being held in the city, Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi led a high-level delegation to the facilities of Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). The visit marks a significant step in Odisha’s mission to diversify its industrial landscape and integrate its local manufacturing capabilities into the national defense supply chain.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by a team of senior officials, including Minister of Industries Shri Sampad Swain, Additional Chief Secretary for Industries and I&PR Shri Hemant Sharma, and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri Saswat Mishra. The delegation also included Shri Manoj Kumar Sahoo, PS to the CM, and Shri B S Poonia, MSME Secretary and Managing Director of IPICOL.
Upon their arrival, the delegation was received by Commodore A Madhavarao (Retired), Chairman and Managing Director of BDL. The leadership at BDL provided the visitors with an exhaustive overview of the facility’s state-of-the-art defense manufacturing operations, which are central to India’s self-reliance in aerospace and underwater weapons systems.
During the tour of the manufacturing units, Chief Minister Shri Majhi and his team observed the sophisticated technological processes involved in the production of advanced missile systems. A core objective of this visit was to identify specific avenues where Odisha’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) can play a supportive role. The Chief Minister emphasized that Odisha is no longer just a hub for minerals and metals but is rapidly evolving into a destination for high-technology manufacturing.
The discussions between the state officials and BDL management focused on creating a collaborative ecosystem. By aligning Odisha’s industrial infrastructure with the requirements of the defense sector, the state aims to facilitate technology transfers and procurement opportunities for local businesses.
ACS Shri Hemant Sharma is leading from the front and highlighted the readiness of Odisha’s industrial parks and the specific incentives available for the aerospace and defense sectors under the state’s current industrial policies.
Commodore A Madhavarao provided insights into the technical standards and quality benchmarks required for defense supplies, offering a roadmap for how Odisha’s MSMEs could be trained and certified to meet these global standards. The interaction underscored a mutual interest in exploring long-term strategic partnerships that could lead to the establishment of ancillary units within Odisha.
This visit to BDL is viewed as a cornerstone of the Hyderabad meet, signaling Odisha’s intent to become a key player in the national defense manufacturing corridor. As the state continues its outreach to investors in Telangana, the focus remains steadfast on high-value employment generation and the adoption of cutting-edge industrial technology.