Tiruchirappalli: In a major step towards bolstering indigenous defence manufacturing and promoting self-reliance under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, the Defence Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 28, 2025, to set up a state-of-the-art testing facility in the Mechanical and Material domain at the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (TNDIC) in Tiruchirappalli.
The MoU was exchanged between senior officials of the MoD and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO) in New Delhi, in the presence of Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production), Ministry of Defence.
75% Government Funding under DTIS
This initiative is a part of the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS), which provides up to 75% funding as Grant-in-Aid from the Government. The remaining 25% will be contributed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that comprises both Indian private entities and State/Central Government organisations.
Micro Labs to Lead the SPV
The lead SPV member for this Mechanical & Material testing facility is Micro Labs, a private entity. The consortium also includes major players such as:
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Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO)
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Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML)
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Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
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Vaidheswaran Industries
Once operational, the facility will offer cutting-edge testing services to both public and private sectors, playing a critical role in reducing dependency on imported military testing infrastructure.
Strategic Investment of ₹400 Crore by Defence Ministry
The DTIS was launched with an outlay of ₹400 Crore by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, aiming to foster a robust ecosystem for indigenous defence production. The scheme seeks to collaborate with private industry and state/central governments to build high-end testing facilities.
To date, seven such facilities have been approved under DTIS:
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Four in Tamil Nadu
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Three in Uttar Pradesh
These facilities are expected to catalyse defence and aerospace sector growth in the designated industrial corridors and strengthen India’s strategic capabilities.
Source: PIB
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