Cmde P R Hari, IN (Retd.), CMD, GRSE, addressed the Inaugural Session of the 13th CII Manufacturing Conclave East 2026, held at ITC Royal Bengal on July 18, 2026, where he shared the industry perspective on the role of the defence sector in driving manufacturing growth in Eastern India.

In his address, he highlighted defence manufacturing as a key enabler of industrial growth, emphasising its role in strengthening the manufacturing value chain, creating opportunities for ancillary industries, MSMEs and start-ups, and generating large-scale skilled employment. He underscored the importance of enhanced collaboration between industry, government and academia in building a globally competitive defence manufacturing ecosystem, and reaffirmed its significance in advancing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.