SAMDeS, a key think tank creating strategic discourse

Society for Aerospace, Maritime & Defence Studies (SAMDeS) promotes multi-disciplinary research and analysis on aerospace, defence, military and maritime industry-related matters

Admiral RK Dhowan PVSM, AVSM, YSM (Retd) Chairperson, SAMDeS

Cmde. Sujeet Samaddar NM (Retd.) Secretary, SAMDeS

Think tanks play a crucial role in formulating national policies, especially related to defence. The New Delhibased Society for Aerospace, Maritime & Defence Studies (SAMDeS) is India’s key non-profit think tank, which aims to promote multi-disciplinary research and analysis to inspire and inform the public and private policy discourse on national aerospace, defence, military and maritime industry-related matters.

Major activities

The vision of SAMDeS is to undertake or use research and analysis as the main element of the arguments to inspire and inform public and private policies, provide policy guidance, global best practices and offer solutions to government and industry towards building and operationalizing a world-class defence industrial base in India.

SAMDeS focuses on some important areas. The think tank promotes development of a world-class defence industrial ecosystem integrating government, industry and academia resources to achieve selfreliance and engages in an assessment of the evolving international and national regulatory framework on arms trade and impact on the national industrial base.

It also examines the role of state for advancement of technology and innovation with mission-oriented investments in R&D and public-private collaboration. Development of process protocols to bridge the gap between frontline research to new product prototype and serial production is yet another focus area.

Exploration of innovative investment options for defence sector like Technology Development Funds, viability gap funding, angel investors and PE funds too is carried out.

Development of requisite skill sets for the workforce required for the defence manufacturing ecosystem, serving as Knowledge Partners to provide research reports on regulatory, compliance and policy issues and examining potential export areas for indigenously-developed products are the other activities of SAMDeS.

Important objectives

The think tank has set certain strategic objectives, like providing focus, and predicting and planning future developments of the indigenous defence industrial ecosystem, which will have an impact on the policy discourse and the related implementation strategies with particular reference to a robust and responsive acquisition procedure.

Another goal is to examine investment options for the defence sector through financial viability and Innovative Business Finance models,including Technology Development Funds, viability gap funding arrangements, angel investors and PE funds.

SAMDeS also revisits and examines a more contemporary and digitised decision-making model for capital acquisitions across the entire value chain from concept to contract conclusion. Similarly, assessment of the international and national regulatory framework relating to Arms Trade and its implications on the national industrial base is also made.

Apart from holding conferences and maintaining an interactive website, the founder members of SAMDeS promote knowledge partners through Centres of Excellence as a collaborative venture between academic institutions and industry to work towards innovation in emerging areas of advanced technology like robotics, equipment for high speed communications, new materials, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence etc. Joint exchange programmes with similar regional and international institutions are also promoted.

Thematic focus areas

As part of policy advocacy, SAMDeS carries out interlink of national defence strategy and the doctrinal paradigm, operational imperatives, economics and technological dimensions in the development of the national defence industrial base. It also studies the impact of globalization on the indigenous industrialisation efforts and need to benchmark technological and commercial competitiveness with futuristic development in the sector. Outlining the steps needed for the development of indigenous R&D and bridging of gap areas in different technology domains to bolster creativity

Leasing: A Win-Win for Industry, Armed Forces

The vital role the Indian industry could play in fulfilling the requirements of the Armed Forces of India was stressed at the eSymposium on ‘Leveraging Leasing For Force Level Maintenance & Modernisation’ held last month. The symposium inspired by the latest introduction of leasing as a new category in the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 and organised jointly by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and the Society for Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Studies (SAMDeS) also threw light on the existing constraints in modernization and capability development, advantages of lease model, requirements of armed forces and the expectations from the industry.

Asserting that the Indian Armed Forces are focused on modernization, and and innovation is another focus area. Issues on standardization, quality, IPR, political control on technology, export restrictions and FDI in defence are also considered by the think tank.

It presents a periodical sector wise (land systems, aerospace, maritime systems) status report on achievement of indigenous content by the Indian industry as per the levels defined by government and highlights best practices. Spin-off benefits of key sectors like aerospace, shipbuilding, IT and electronics hardware, are receptive to new ideas and proposals, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar, who inaugurated the event, said that there are several platforms, systems and equipment that qualify lease criteria. “For the navy, we will look towards leasing our assets and auxiliaries to enhance our capabilities and get avoid huge investments in manning and maintaining,” he said.

The ongoing modernization process, he said, aims to create capabilities or accomplish a range of missions across the entire spectrum of threats and challenges. “A wide variety of such capabilities can be covered through provisions of leasing, and Indian industry can play a vital role in fulfilling the requirements of armed forces,” he added.

Admiral Ashok Kumar also urged the industry to have and maintain a long term telecommunication equipment, surveillance systems, cyber security, and so on with dual use technology connotations are an area of study.

SAMDeS carries out macro-level mapping of manufacturing capability to facilitate sector-wise hubs for aerospace, shipbuilding, electronics, combat vehicles, missiles and armaments. Similarly, towards achieving cost-competitiveness and financial modeling, SAMDeS formulates models and methodologies for cost audit and financial implications of the indigenisation efforts. outlook on the opportunity. “If the requirements of three services can be met through leasing provisions, it could be a win-win situation for both the Indian industry and the armed forces,” he pointed out.

Admiral RK Dhowan, the former Chief of Naval Staff and currently the chairperson of SAMDeS, while welcoming the delegates said the introduction of lease as a category for defence acquisition in the DAP 2020 was a path-breaking procedural change, ‘which will facilitate the transition from one capability to another’. “It will be a seamless transition through the interim mechanism of leasing. It’s a visionary initiative by the Ministry of Defence. The aim is to have the capacity building and capability enhancement of our armed forces, to increase the operational

efficiency as well as to meet

Founders, key people

SAMDeS is led and guided by some distinguished luminaries. Former Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R K Dhowan is the chairperson of SAMDeS. He was also the Chairman of the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), India. Shobhana Joshi, IDAS, Co-Chairperson & Treasurer of SAMDeS, was the Secretary (Defence Finance). Similarly, Cmde. Sujeet Samaddar NM (Retd.), who is the Hony. Secretary of SAMDeS, was earlier Principal Director, Naval Plans & Senior Consultant NITI AAYOG, Government of India. the urgent operational requirements of the armed forces through this important vehicle of leasing which is being proposed,” he said.

Commodore Sujeet Samaddar N M, former senior consultant, NITI Aayog and the honorary secretary of SAMDeS who moderated the session on ‘Leasing of Maritime Platforms’ said the services had now the opportunity to make sure that they are able to conduct their duties responsibly by using the best available means through leasing.

Among others who spoke at the symposium were FICCI Defence and Aerospace Committee chairman S P Shukla, Airborne Surveillance & Remote Sensing (Norwegian Special Mission) director Jostein Trones, former secretary Defence Finance Gargi Kaul and FICCI Defence & Aerospace Committee co-chairman and CEO Sudhakar Gande.

The founder members of SAMDeS are Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani, former Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force; Dr. Vijayalakshmy Gupta, IDAS, who was earlier Defence Finance Secretary; Lt. General (Dr.) A S Lamba, who earlier held the post of Vice Chief of the Army Staff and is presently President, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), New Delhi and Dr. R K Tyagi, former Chairman, HAL and Pawan Hans Helicopters and President of Aeronautical Society of India and Hony President, Center for India Progressing.