The Centre plans to establish seven defence manufacturing clusters across different states to expand indigenous defence production, according to reports. The initiative includes support from Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for planning and technical inputs. The clusters are designed to connect manufacturing capacity across the country and are intended to support a “whole of nation” effort.
In the reported process, the clusters are asked to submit strategic roadmaps by next month. These roadmaps are expected to outline infrastructure and regulatory requirements needed for the clusters to function effectively at a national scale. The proposals focus on how states and industry stakeholders can coordinate on facilities, governance, and enabling conditions for defence manufacturing.
While the reports do not specify which states will host the clusters or the full funding and implementation structure, they consistently describe the same core elements: seven clusters, state-wise location, IIT-backed support, and a near-term submission deadline for roadmaps covering infrastructure and regulatory needs.
