Sat Jan 18 14:50:49 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu Urged to Boost Aerospace and Defence Collaboration

**COIMBATORE, January 18, 2025** – A conference in Coimbatore brought together Tamil Nadu’s industry and academia with representatives from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Cochin Shipyard to foster collaboration in the aerospace and naval sectors. Over 100 industries attended the event, organized by the Aerospace Industry Development Association of Tamil Nadu (AIDAT) and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO).

K. Rajalakshmi Menon, Director General (Aero), DRDO, stressed the need for innovation and the development of industry-ready graduates to achieve self-reliance (“Atma Nirbhar Bharat”). AIDAT chairman Christopher highlighted the relatively small presence of Tamil Nadu in the aerospace sector despite its strong industrial base, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with the DRDO to facilitate participation of MSMEs in defence projects. The conference aimed to connect Tamil Nadu’s capabilities with the needs of the defence sector, boosting opportunities for growth and contributing to India’s self-sufficiency in aerospace and naval technologies.

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