Established in the year 2019, the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS) was shaped with the mission to support the MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) and bridge the gap in defence testing infrastructure in the country. The Ministry of Defence initiated this private-sector organisation to launch and organise the testing facilities for military equipment. But this defence testing infrastructure requires continuous upgradation. And so, to help them, the Ministry of Defence has taken the initiative to assist them through the form of Grants-In-Aid. A total amount of Rs.400 crores has been outlaid for setting up defence testing infrastructure.

Objectives of the Scheme

The Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS) was launched across India to provide financial and other beneficial aids to upgrade and strengthen the military and defence equipment.

Here, we will discuss all the objectives of the Scheme in the points mentioned below:

This Scheme was launched with the objective to:

• To encourage ethnic defence production with a special focus on the involvement of MSMEs and budding entrepreneurs by concreting the differences in the Nation’s defence testing infrastructure.
• To provide easy access and thus meet the testing needs of the domestic defence.

So, the defence testing infrastructure scheme was mainly launched with the two objectives mentioned above. Now let us talk about the scope of this Scheme.

Scope of the Scheme

The Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme targets bringing the private sector to test and endorse as the defence tools, equipment, and systems manufacturers. Below we have mentioned all the major scopes available from the Scheme:

• Testing facilities for Drones, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with the Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs).
• Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing for Radars, UAVs/RPAs, and Electronic or the Telecom equipment
• Rubber Testing for Defence and AerospaceSectors
• Radiated Noise and ShockTesting, Electronic Warfare
• Software Testing, Specialised Test-Driving Tracks
• Ship MotionTesting, Test Facilities for Aerospace Industry
• Ballistic and Blast Testing Facilities, Environmental Test Facilities

Ministry of Defence Production 

The Department of Defence Production (DDP) was formed in November 1962. The main objective of DPP is to develop a comprehensive production infrastructure. And to produce weapons, systems, platforms, and equipment required for defence by our armed forces. 

Over the years, wide-ranging production facilities have been established by the department for various defence equipment through Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). 

The manufactured products include arms and ammunition, tanks, warships, armoured vehicles, fighter aircraft, earth moving equipment, helicopters, submarines, missiles, electronic equipment, special alloys, and special-purpose steel. 

The main organisations that work under the Ministry of defence production are as follows:

• HAL – Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 
• BEL – Bharat Electronics Limited 
• BDL – Bharat Dynamics Limited 
• BEML Limited 
• MIDHANI – Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited 
• Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited 
• Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited 
• Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL)
• AWEIL – Advanced Weapons And Equipment India Ltd.
• GIL – Gliders India Ltd.
• TCL – Troop Comforts Ltd.
• Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited 
• MIL – Munitions India Limited 
• Yantra India Limited (YIL)
• IOL – India Optel Limited 
• Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA)
• Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA)
• Directorate of Standardisation (DOS)
• Directorate of Planning & Coordination 
• Defence Exhibition Organisation (DEO), and
• National Institute for Research & Development in Defence Shipbuilding (NIRDESH).

Department of Defence Production Tenders

The Department of Defence Production tenders is established with the role of archiving the government’s tenders that are released on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. These tenders include all the details of expenditure made on bringing the modern-day level equipment and the cost to keep upgrading the defence and military equipment.

These tenders are duly signed by the Head of the Ministry of Defence and are being issued to the private sector organisations. The private organisations that take the initiative to build and manage the defence testing infrastructures produce these tenders in front of the MoD (Ministry of Defence). The tenders that get passed are being taken over by the government and implemented to develop and manage the defence training infrastructures.

Conclusion

Various private-sector units take responsibility for maintaining the defence testing infrastructures. India is considered the world’s largest democracy, and we should properly maintain our defence system. Not only to protect our country from external forces but also from natural calamities and disasters, we should maintain and keep an upgraded and up-to-date defence and military equipment in our country. And to maintain this form of upgradation, schemes like the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme(DTIS was launched across India to provide financial and other beneficial aids to upgrade and strengthen the military and defence equipment) have been procured by the Ministry of Defence of India.