Pune Emerging As Defence & Technology Hub: Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh At STRIDE 2025 Seminar

The Southern Command of the Indian Army hosted the first edition of its defence technology seminar, ‘STRIDE 2025,’ in Pune on Friday, highlighting the importance of collaboration between the armed forces, academia and industry in accelerating India’s journey towards self-reliance in defence.

Addressing the gathering, Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, emphasised that while technology is the “need of the hour,” age-old battlefield tactics, such as fire and manoeuvre, will continue to remain central to military operations. He underlined that the future battlefield demands “speed, resilience, adaptability and above all, a technological edge,” but cautioned that innovation must translate into real capabilities for the frontline soldier.

The Southern Army Commander also pointed out the untapped potential of peninsular India, particularly Maharashtra, as a hub for defence startups, knowledge industries, and MSMEs. “Forums like STRIDE will allow us to channel new ideas, support startups, and create solutions that directly translate into military capability on the ground,” he said, adding that Southern Command is committed to providing visibility and opportunities to smaller enterprises in the defence ecosystem.

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, who was the chief guest, echoed the call for synergy between hard power and India’s growing economic strength. “Technological superiority and industrial strength often determine outcomes in warfare, and that is why, as we aspire to transition from a $4 trillion economy today to a $30 trillion economy by 2047, our defence industry must grow apace with the rest of our manufacturing sector,” he said.

Highlighting the global context, Singh noted that the decline of multilateralism and ongoing conflicts in Europe and West Asia have made it critical for nations to project hard power alongside soft power. He pointed to India’s steady economic growth and rising defence capital expenditure, adding that every ₹1 crore spent on defence CapEx generates a multiplier effect of ₹2.45 crore for the GDP.

The Defence Secretary also revealed that the Ministry of Defence is in the process of rewriting key procurement manuals to make procedures more dynamic, outcome-focused and industry-friendly. “We need to reduce entry barriers for the private sector and startups, encourage grassroots innovation, and ensure competitive bidding. The intent is to broaden and diversify India’s defence industrial base, especially in hubs like Pune, which already has a strong concentration of MSMEs and defence enterprises,” Singh emphasised.

Domestic defence production has grown from ₹43,000 crore in 2014 to ₹1.5 lakh crore last year, he added, crediting the private sector’s growing role. Singh urged Indian companies to step up their investments in R&D and manufacturing capacity, saying, “Unless you have the willingness to stay the mile and make those investments, the defence domain will not see the scale of innovation and capability that our forces require.”

The seminar brought together representatives from the armed forces, DRDO, academia, industry associations and defence startups. With Pune emerging as one of India’s most vibrant defence and technology hubs, STRIDE 2025 is expected to become a key platform for nurturing innovation, building partnerships, and accelerating India’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ in defence.