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New Delhi, December 17, 2025: The Strategic Defence Leadership Summit 2025, a flagship initiative under the Modular MBA Program for the Defence Sector by IIM Visakhapatnam, commenced today in New Delhi. The two-day summit is being conducted in knowledge partnership with the National Academy of Defence Production, HAL Management Academy, and BEL Academy of Excellence, and is duly approved by the Department of Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

The summit aims to strengthen leadership capabilities and strategic thinking across India’s defence production ecosystem by bringing together senior government officials, defence sector leaders, public sector executives, academicians, and policy experts.

The summit was formally inaugurated today by Shri Sanjeev Kumar, IAS, Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence. In his inaugural address, Shri Sanjeev Kumar highlighted the Government of India’s emphasis on building capable leadership aligned with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence. He underscored the importance of leadership development, innovation, and collaboration among government, industry, and academia to enhance self-reliance and global competitiveness in defence production.

The inaugural session also featured opening remarks by Prof. M. Chandrasekhar, Director, IIM Visakhapatnam, who emphasized the need for leadership development grounded in strategic thinking, innovation, and execution excellence as India’s defence ecosystem undergoes rapid transformation. He reaffirmed IIM Visakhapatnam’s commitment to contributing to national capacity-building through focused executive education initiatives.

Prof. B. Srirangacharyulu, Program Chair, Modular MBA Program for the Defence Sector, IIM Visakhapatnam, welcomed the participants and outlined the objectives of the summit, highlighting its practical relevance for professionals engaged in defence production and allied sectors.

Following the inaugural session, Day-1 featured a series of expert-led sessions addressing key functional and strategic aspects of defence production leadership. Sessions included deliberations on defence finance and budgeting, business growth strategies for defence public sector undertakings, and defence project management, delivered by senior officials and industry leaders with extensive domain experience.

A key highlight of the day was Panel Discussion-1 on “Collaborative Pathways for Indigenisation & Innovation”, moderated by Dr. Manu Korulla, former Director General (Resources & Management), DRDO. The panel brought together senior executives from leading defence public sector enterprises to discuss collaborative models, indigenisation initiatives, and innovation-driven approaches essential for strengthening India’s defence manufacturing capabilities.
Platform for Dialogue and Collaboration

The first day of the summit provided participants with valuable opportunities for interaction with senior policymakers, industry leaders, and academic experts, fostering dialogue on leadership challenges, governance, and innovation in the defence sector.

The Modular MBA Program for the Defence Sector is a specialized executive education initiative designed for senior and mid-level professionals from defence PSUs, private industry, and government organizations. The program focuses on leadership development, strategic management, defence economics, and policy frameworks critical to India’s defence modernisation efforts.

The Strategic Defence Leadership Summit 2025 will continue on December 18, 2025, with further sessions and panel discussions focusing on geopolitics, quality assurance, defence manufacturing excellence, and emerging frontiers in defence production