India Redefines Defence Excellence: Operation Sindoor Showcased at Quality Conclave

“In Operation Sindoor, nine terror camps were destroyed and a good number of terrorists were killed. It shows the crucial role ‘quality’ plays in securing national interests,” Shri Rajnath Singh stated.

In a landmark address at the National Quality Conclave 2025 held in New Delhi on May 8, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh spotlighted the critical role of quality in strengthening national defence, citing the successful execution of Operation Sindoor as a defining example of the synergy between professionalism, advanced military hardware, and strategic precision. The conclave, themed ‘Fast-tracking of Quality Assurance through Integrated Approach and Technology Enabled Processes’, witnessed wide-ranging discussions on quality assurance (QA) in defence, innovation, and India’s rising trajectory as a defence manufacturing power.

Operation Sindoor: Precision, Restraint, and National Pride

Opening his keynote, Raksha Mantri lauded the Armed Forces for their surgical execution of Operation Sindoor, an anti-terror offensive that neutralised nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), eliminating a significant number of terrorists. The Minister underscored the operation’s execution with zero civilian casualties and minimal collateral damage as a testament to India's evolved military capability and commitment to ethical warfare.

“In Operation Sindoor, nine terror camps were destroyed and a good number of terrorists were killed. It shows the crucial role ‘quality’ plays in securing national interests,” Shri Rajnath Singh stated.

He emphasised that India, while advocating peace and diplomatic dialogue, would not hesitate to exercise “quality action” against any threat to its sovereignty. “No limit will become an obstacle in defending India’s integrity,” he asserted.

Building Defence Sovereignty: From Buyer to Producer

The Raksha Mantri elaborated on the Government’s decade-long push toward Defence Sovereignty, stating that a nation can’t be considered truly independent if it is dependent on foreign arms supplies. He recalled the 2014 strategic shift led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to build an indigenous defence production ecosystem, underlining that security cannot be outsourced.

India’s defence industrial base has since seen rapid expansion, driven by quality, corporatisation, and a vibrant private sector partnership. The corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), he noted, has transformed Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) into globally competitive, export-oriented entities.

Quality: The Reform Priority

“Quality is not just a process, it’s a mindset,” said the Raksha Mantri, positioning it as a central pillar of the Government’s reform agenda. He underlined equal focus on both quantity and quality in defence manufacturing, stating that the Government's goal is not just to produce more, but to produce better.

Brand India, he said, should reflect uncompromising standards, reliability, and global trust. “Whenever in doubt, go for India” must be the world’s go-to phrase for dependable defence equipment, he urged.

Technology as a QA Catalyst

In an era shaped by rapid tech advances, Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted the importance of using Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and the Internet of Things (IoT) for real-time monitoring and predictive quality control. He stressed the urgent need to transition from legacy quality assurance models to automated, data-driven, and continuous QA systems.

He urged quality agencies to introspect regularly, conduct gap analyses in niche tech areas, and continuously upgrade testing protocols and infrastructure to stay ahead of global benchmarks.

Industry 4.0 and QA 4.0: A Strategic Shift

A cornerstone session introduced the Industry 4.0/QA 4.0 Roadmap, collaboratively developed by the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) and industry partners. This digital roadmap envisages:

• IoT-enabled test benches

• AI-driven analytics for error detection

• Automated data capture and inspection workflows

• Digital dashboards for end-to-end product lifecycle monitoring

These tools aim to dramatically reduce human error, accelerate certification cycles, and enable continuous oversight in defence QA.

Draft Indian Military Airworthiness Bill Presented

In a significant legislative move, the Draft Indian Military Airworthiness Bill was formally presented during the conclave for final feedback. The Bill proposes a legal framework for the certification and operational readiness of military aircraft and airborne systems. Developed through a consultative process involving the Ministry of Defence, DRDO, Services, DPSUs, and industry stakeholders, it is poised to streamline military aviation QA and certification.

Self-Reliance in Critical Technologies: The E&O Focus

A dedicated session addressed indigenous production of Explosives and Ordnance (E&O) stores, examining how emerging technologies—such as additive manufacturing, advanced materials, semiconductors, and silicon photonics—can revolutionise the production and validation of high-stakes munitions and precision systems.

Vision 2047: India as the World’s Top Defence Exporter

Citing a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the Raksha Mantri noted that global defence expenditure reached $2,718 billion in 2024, signalling immense opportunities. He reaffirmed the Government’s ambitious vision to:

• Grow defence exports from ₹24,000 crore in FY 2024–25

• Reach ₹50,000 crore by 2029

• Make India the world’s leading defence exporter by 2047

“We must develop global trust in the quality of our equipment,” he declared, calling on academia, MSMEs, DPSUs, private industry, and QA agencies to collaborate towards this shared mission.

Closing Commitments: QA as a Strategic Enabler

The conclave concluded with consensus among stakeholders that defence quality assurance is not merely a compliance activity—it is a strategic enabler of national security, global competitiveness, and self-reliance. Experts called for seamless integration between industry and QA agencies, faster certification cycles, and agility in adapting to technological disruption.

DG, DGQA Shri N Manoharan hailed the event as a turning point in building a world-class Indian defence QA system, with active collaboration and knowledge-sharing between military, industry, and regulatory agencies.

Also in attendance were Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Rear Admiral Rupak Barua (DG, Naval Armament Inspection), Shri Sanjay Chawla (DG, Aeronautical Quality Assurance), CMDs of major DPSUs, and senior MoD officials.