New Delhi / Tiruchirappalli: In a significant boost to India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a cutting-edge testing facility in Mechanical and Material domain in Tiruchirappalli, within the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (TNDIC).
The testing facility in Mechanical and Material domain will be developed under the flagship Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS), aiming to accelerate Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the defence sector.
The MoU was exchanged between senior officials of the MoD and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO) in the presence of Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production), MoD.
The DTIS is structured to offer up to 75% government support as Grant-in-Aid, while the remaining 25% funding is contributed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) consisting of Indian private companies and government entities.
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Other key SPV partners include:
- TIDCO
- Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML)
- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
- Vaidheswaran Industries
Upon completion, the testing facility in Mechanical and Material domain will feature advanced testing infrastructure and services for both public and private defence stakeholders.
It is expected to significantly enhance product validation capabilities, reduce dependency on foreign equipment, and support the indigenization of military technologies.
With a total outlay of ₹400 crore, the DTIS was launched by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh to develop world-class testing infrastructure that strengthens India’s defence production capabilities and supports import substitution.
So far, seven testing facilities have been approved under the DTIS, including four in Tamil Nadu and three in Uttar Pradesh.
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These projects are expected to drive innovation, accelerate indigenous production, and create opportunities for both MSMEs and large defence manufacturers across India’s two key Defence Industrial Corridors.
This state-of-the-art mechanical and material testing unit will play a pivotal role in enabling India to move closer to its vision of defence self-reliance, while also fostering public-private partnerships in critical infrastructure development.
