Sunil Kant Munjal, Chairman of Hero Enterprise
| Photo Credit:
BIJOY GHOSH
Sunil Kant Munjal, Chairman of Hero Enterprise, said that the country’s drive for self-reliance in defence and aerospace must be integrated into the global value chain, rather than adopting an isolationist approach.
Addressing the Empowering Atmanirbhar Bharat: India’s Aerospace & Defence Manufacturing Summit at the Indian School of Business here on Saturday, he recalled the private sector’s journey with Defence projects that began in 2004–05 with initial engagements with the Defence Ministry and armed forces.
“The journey faced early hurdles such as rigid procurement norms demanding prior experience, extended testing cycles and uneven business patterns,” he said.
“These hurdles are now largely behind us, as technology is reshaping how conflicts are conceived and addressed, making it vital for stakeholders to operate in collaboration,” he said.
The Munjal Institute for Global Manufacturing (MIGM) organised the conference, which was attended by senior officials from the Indian Armed Forces, government, Defence sector, R&D institutions, academia and start-ups.
Telangana IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu outlined Telangana’s ambition to be the country’s aerospace capital by 2030, backed by a strong ecosystem of micro, small and medium enterprises and companies such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems.
Published on November 15, 2025