Defence QA Conclave Charts Digital Roadmap for Faster, Trusted Assurance

The Quality Assurance (QA)-Industry Conclave, themed "Traceability, Speed and Trust – Leveraging Technology for Smarter Quality Assurance," was held in New Delhi today, bringing together senior leadership from the Ministry of Defence, the Indian Navy, QA organisations, defence shipyards, public sector undertakings and leading private industry partners.

The conclave served as a high-level platform to deliberate on the future roadmap for a technology-driven quality assurance ecosystem across India's defence manufacturing value chain.

Digital Technologies to Redefine Defence Quality Assurance

The conclave underscored the transformative role of digital innovation in modernising QA processes in complex defence production and shipbuilding programmes.

Key focus areas included:

• End-to-end traceability across manufacturing stages

• Reduction of procedural and inspection timelines

• Greater transparency in certification and compliance

• Building trust-based engagement between QA agencies and industry

Participants agreed that integrating digital tools, data-centric methodologies and collaborative policy frameworks is essential for achieving speed, accuracy and reliability in defence manufacturing.

Major Outcomes: Capability Catalogue and Data Standardisation

A major highlight of the conclave was the release of the Indian Naval & Marine Industry – A Capability Catalogue, a comprehensive compendium designed to provide structured visibility of indigenous industrial strengths and promote stronger engagement between the Armed Forces and domestic manufacturers.

Another significant milestone was the promulgation of the Joint Service Guidelines on the Common Information Model, enabling integrated data management of combat systems and sensors.

This marks a major step toward:

• Standardisation

• Interoperability

• Seamless digital exchange of technical and quality data across stakeholders

Green Channel Status and Self-Certification for Industry

Reflecting a progressive shift toward performance-oriented assurance, the conclave also saw the conferment of:

• Green Channel Status

• Self-Certification authority

to eligible industry partners in recognition of proven quality performance.

This initiative signals a move toward a trust-based QA regime that rewards:

• Consistency

• Reliability

• Process maturity

• Strong compliance culture

Technical Sessions Highlight Real-Time QA Integration

The conclave featured forward-looking technical discussions on:

• Digital QA systems for shipbuilding

• Policy compliance in a rapidly evolving industrial landscape

• Quality challenges in naval ship construction

• Replenishment orders and spares assurance

Participants highlighted the need for:

• Real-time data visibility

• Integrated inspection planning

• Harmonised documentation

• Risk-based certification models

• Industry participation in quality planning from the design stage

The exchange of practical experiences and best practices led to actionable pathways for process optimisation.

Quality Assurance as a Continuous Lifecycle Process

Senior dignitaries, including Vice Admiral B. Sivakumar, Chief of Material, Indian Navy, emphasised that QA is no longer a terminal activity confined to inspection.

Instead, it must evolve into a continuous, technology-enabled process embedded across:

• Design

• Production

• Testing

• Certification

• Lifecycle support

Speakers highlighted that QA systems must keep pace with modular construction, integrated combat systems and network-centric naval operations.

Aligning with Aatmanirbhar Bharat Vision

The conclave reaffirmed the importance of aligning quality assurance reforms with the national vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, fostering an ecosystem where capable industry partners are empowered through trust-based compliance frameworks.

The QA-Industry Conclave 2026 stands as a key step in strengthening India's defence manufacturing competitiveness through smarter, faster and more transparent quality assurance systems.