The Assam government has officially approached the central authorities, seeking the establishment of a defence industrial corridor in the state. This initiative aims to support the extensive deployment of armed forces in the northeastern region to secure borders with China, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma expressed his optimism about the talks with the Indian government, indicating that they are at an advanced stage. “The maximum deployment of the Army occurs either in Jammu and Kashmir or in the Northeast. Transporting tanks and other heavy equipment for repairs necessitates bringing them back to the mainland, which is inefficient,” Sarma stated during an event. He believes that Assam can serve as a significant defence corridor, given the high demand for military resources and the need for local supply capabilities.
As the Chief Minister pointed out, nearly half of the Indian Army’s deployment is currently in the northeast. This presents logistical challenges with the repair and replacement of arms and ammunition, which must be sent back to facilities in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Sarma advocates for establishing defence manufacturing units in Assam to ensure a streamlined supply chain that can respond more effectively in case of disturbances.
Sarma also highlighted that developing a defence industrial corridor aligns with efforts to attract much-needed investment to the state, which has been sparse in the past.
The central government has already initiated two Defence Industrial Corridors (DICs) aimed at attracting ₹20,000 crore in investments by 2024-25. The Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) comprises six nodes: Aligarh, Agra, Jhansi, Kanpur, Chitrakoot, and Lucknow. The Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (TNDIC) includes five nodes: Chennai, Hosur, Coimbatore, Salem, and Tiruchirappalli.
The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) serves as the nodal agency for UPDIC, while the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) is responsible for TNDIC. Both states have implemented their own aerospace and defence policies to draw in investments for their respective corridors.
As of April last year, UPDIC secured 108 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with industrial stakeholders, anticipating a potential investment of ₹12,191 crore. To date, ₹2,445 crore in investments has already been made, and development is underway on 1,611 hectares of land. Similarly, Tamil Nadu has entered into agreements with 53 industries, projecting investments totaling ₹11,794 crore. So far, ₹3,894 crore has been invested and 910 hectares of land has been earmarked for the TNDIC.
