Telangana defence MSME base grows fivefold

At the second Defence MSME Manufacturers Forum in Hyderabad, organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce, India — Telangana's Director for Aerospace and Defence Praveen announced that the number of MSMEs supplying to the state's aerospace and defence sector has grown from over 400 to around 1,500-2,000 over the past decade. The state government, through officials like Krishna Aditya S and Anil Chakravarthy, outlined plans to strengthen the ecosystem by identifying dedicated land parcels, supporting global supply chain integration, and focusing on export orientation. Industry leaders, including Commodore P. R. Hari of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers and Vishnu Malpani of E&R Engineering, highlighted India's rising defence production and exports while noting the need for greater MSME participation to reduce import dependence. The forum also saw the release of an ICC report recommending enhanced support for defence MSMEs, and India — Telangana unveiled a Rs 100-crore MSME technology upgradation fund. Global companies such as Safran, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Electric — GE Aerospace, Airbus, and Raytheon Technologies — Pratt & Whitney Canada have invested in the state, with Safran alone investing around Rs 2,500 crore and creating nearly 2,000 jobs. AIM Defence has proposed an Rs 800-crore unmanned aerial systems facility in the state.