The aim is also to make Andhra Pradesh India’s premier aerospace and defence manufacturing hub.In a meeting with the senior officials at Secretariat on Monday, Naidu reviewed the investment policy and called for resort to advanced technologies and innovation in the aerospace and defence sectors. Taking a cue from India using high-end technology in Operation Sindoor’to target Pakistan’s terror sites, the CM spoke of the increasing role of hi-tech in the defence system and said AP should enter these fields and make a strong presence there with related investments.Saying that these would have high potential for defence and internal security in the coming days, Naidu asked officials to facilitate setting up of such industries in AP. He suggested some changes in the existing policy so as to ensure that national security remains the principal focus. Aerospace and defence adviser Satish Reddy, joined the review meeting via video conference and gave some suggestions in framing the policy. The CM called for supporting the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the aerospace and defence sector and proposed an annual corpus fund of Rs 100 crore to support such enterprises. He advocated inclusion of subsidies for logistics. Underlining the importance to strengthen MSMEs, he called for setting up benchmarks for ensuring quality in the allied industries and stressed the need to provide value addition, marketing and branding. Naidu called for development of cluster-based industry for the regions. Accordingly, the policy designated special manufacturing corridors across the state. These include: Visakhapatnam-Srikakulam for naval systems, Jaggaiahpet-Donakonda for missile production, Kurnool-Orvakal for drone technologies and Lepaksh-Madaksira for aerospace technologies. Tirupati would emerge as a research and development power house with the proposed DRDO Centre of Excellence there. Officials said Bharat Force and MMW were preparing to invest in the Madakasira cluster. At present, 23 companies had invested Rs 22,000 crore in AP’s aerospace and defence clusters, with a job potential for 17,000 persons. It is noted that the nation’s annual defence product market is valued at Rs 1.27 lakh crore with public sector enterprises accounting for 73 per cent of production while the private sector contributes 21 per cent and the remaining seven per cent is being shared by public-private-partnership. MSME minister Kondapalli Srinivas, industries minister TG Bharat and commerce and industries secretary Yuvaraj were present.
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