Indian Defence Manufacturing Conclave kicks off in Jabalpur:Event aims to boost local industry as entrepreneurs and MSME vendors nationwide

To strengthen India’s defence self-reliance, the Indian Defence Manufacturing Conclave 2023 began at the Vehicle Factory in Jabalpur on Thursday. The three-day event, organized from November 7 to 9, was inaugurated by Sanjay Dwivedi, CMD of Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL). Officials from the Ministry of Defence, representatives from major companies, and industry leaders were present at the inaugural session. Over 60 stalls have been set up at the venue, focusing on indigenization, vendor development, and the Make in India initiative in the defence manufacturing sector. Step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat The conclave is being jointly organized by AVNL and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at the Vehicle Factory Stadium.
CGM Praveen Singh said the main goal of the event is to build a robust and competitive supplier network for India’s defence sector. It also aims to create opportunities for MSMEs and startups and to strengthen the Make in India mission. He added that the initiative would provide opportunities to local vendors and enable them to contribute to India’s journey toward self-reliance in defence manufacturing. CMD says, ‘Jabalpur emerging as major defence hub’ Chief Guest Sanjay Dwivedi highlighted India’s increasing domestic defence production, noting contributions from both public sector undertakings (PSUs) and private companies.
He mentioned that AVNL, a Mini Ratna company, seeks to collaborate with small and medium industries for the production of new defence products. “Jabalpur is fast emerging as a major defence hub,” he said. “The city houses four major defence production units, and the Vehicle Factory alone records an annual turnover of Rs 4,000 crore. Upcoming projects will also involve local companies to strengthen the ecosystem.” Five key objectives of the conclave According to CGM Praveen Singh, the Conclave focuses on five major goals: Participation from leading companies The conclave features participation from several major Indian companies, including DRDO, BEML, BEL, Balmer Lawrie, Ashok Leyland, Tata, Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Isuzu, Toyota, and Force Motors. Key activities at the conclave The three-day event includes multiple sessions and workshops: Exhibition highlights The exhibition showcases innovations and components from key categories, including: In essence, the Indian Defence Manufacturing Conclave 2023 marks a pivotal step toward making India’s defence ecosystem self-sustaining — positioning Jabalpur as a growing centre for indigenous production and innovation.