Visakhapatnam will soon transform into a defence, maritime, and aerospace hub on par with Bengaluru and Hyderabad, former scientific advisor to Raksha Mantri and president of the Aeronautical Society of India G. Satheesh Reddy said.
Participating an interactive session on Defence endeavours here, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Mr. Satheesh Reddy said that the blueprint of proposed Defense and Maritime Industrial Park in Visakhapatnam, encompassing manufacturing units, R&D centers, deep ocean research facilities, testing labs, and spaces for technology transfer, skill development, and foreign OEMs, has already been submitted to the Andhra Pradesh government for land identification. The Centre has pledged its support through special grants and collaboration with concerned departments to expedite land acquisition.
N. Yuvaraj, IAS, Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Government of Andhra Pradesh, responded positively to the park initiative, assuring collaboration with concerned departments to identify suitable land.
Dr. Reddy emphasized the crucial role of private entities in realizing this ambitious project. He highlighted the vast opportunities available for companies to partner in equipment production, with the government even opening up its own facilities for collaborations. Additionally, He urged for allocating land for National Shipbuilding Design & Research Institute (NSTL) test facilities near the park to promote synergy and knowledge sharing.
J. Srinivasa Raju, Chairman, Society of Indian Defense Manufacturers (SIDM) Andhra Pradesh, emphasized the organization’s crucial role in fostering self-reliance within Indian industries.
