- DRDO says TIDCO is Technology, Innovation, Development with Collaboration
- Indian Coast Guard pledges to partner and to protect Tamil Nadu defence industry
By Sangeeta Saxena
Chennai Trade Centre. 07 October 2025. Tamil Nadu’s emergence as a national defence manufacturing hub was centre-stage at AeroDefCon 2025, where the state’s collaborations with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) were celebrated with conviction and clarity. From developing future-ready systems to enabling MSME participation, these partnerships reflect a powerful convergence of national vision and regional execution. Both institutions affirmed their long-term commitment to strengthening Tamil Nadu’s ecosystem of innovation, self-reliance, and strategic security.
At the heart of India’s defence R&D capability, DRDO has emerged as a transformative ally in Tamil Nadu’s defence industrial journey. Speaking at AeroDefCon 2025, Dr. B.K. Das, DG (ECS), DRDO, delivered a passionate tribute to the state’s role in national defence, remarking,
He highlighted the state’s legacy in producing “the most ferocious tanks and aviators,” and assured that DRDO’s new models like Development-Cum-Production Partners (DCPP) would further deepen industry linkages. Tamil Nadu’s progressive industrial policies, vast manufacturing base, and growing MSME sector provide fertile ground for DRDO’s vision of co-developing disruptive, next-generation technologies.
“Industries are an integral part of DRDO today,” he emphasized, inviting them to take bold steps. Jump into the swimming pool without knowing swimming or measuring depth. You will create history.” This collaborative spirit has made Tamil Nadu a key node in DRDO’s decentralised model of innovation, ensuring that India’s self-reliance journey flows through its southern gateway.
Celebrating the event’s scale with 6,000 B2B meetings and participation from 18 countries, Dr. B.K. Das, DG (ECS), DRDO, proclaimed with infectious optimism, “This day is going to unfold and create history in the area of defence technology. I am sure this matchmaking is going to build a great progeny, great culture and great spirit for this great country, India.” Highlighting the strength of Indo-French ties, he remarked, “Indo-France has always been a beautiful relation and today it is going to propel our firepower, our engine power, our fighters, and many more to come.”
Emphasising India’s peace-through-strength philosophy, he declared, “India is on a metamorphosis… not for war, friends, but for peace. But strength commands strength. If we show our strength to the world, we will be the front leader to restore peace.” He underlined the critical role of cutting-edge research in this transformation, stating, “Strength comes from technology. And here is DRDO, focused to generate the next-generation technology. Disruptive technology is going to define the firepower of this country.”
Stressing the organisation’s shift towards co-development with industry, he explained, “We have come up with the DCPP model—Development-Cum-Production Partner. Industries are an integral part of DRDO today.” Issuing a stirring call to Indian manufacturers and innovators, Dr. Das urged, “Come, learn, and together let us create new defence systems that nobody could think of. We can’t be the keyword chasers anymore. We must innovate.”
Dr. Das beautifully redefined TIDCO’s acronym in his own words stating that TIDCO stands for Technology, Innovation and Development Through Collaboration and concluded with a powerful one for INDIA too, where he stated I is Industries , N is National forces, Startups, MSMEs, D is DRDO, I is Incubation centres and A is Academia. “These five forces together are going to build my new India, ” he said.
The Indian Coast Guard, India’s first line of defence at sea, has also found a strategic partner in Tamil Nadu. With its extensive coastline, robust industrial infrastructure, and proximity to major maritime routes, Tamil Nadu offers unmatched advantages for coastal security innovation. Paramesh Sivamani, Director General of the Indian Coast Guard, speaking at AeroDefCon 2025, affirmed this synergy:
“Whether intercepting illicit activities or responding to natural disasters, Bharatiya Tatraksha stands as India’s first line of response at sea.” He underlined the potential of AI-powered surveillance, green propulsion, autonomous platforms, and digitalised MRO systems, many of which can be locally designed and built in Tamil Nadu.
“Our goal is that every ship we sail and every aircraft we fly showcases India’s innovation and Indian craftsmanship,” he said, calling AeroDefCon a “strategic enabler… where next-generation co-development opportunities will be born.”
The Coast Guard’s openness to working with Tamil Nadu’s MSMEs and startups represents a paradigm shift—bringing coastal and defence industries together under the shared vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, powered not by isolation but by collaboration and co-creation.
Recounting recent operational excellence, he stated, “The display of our operational progress during Operation Sindoor exemplifies precision and synergy amongst our armed forces.” He attributed this success to India’s robust technological ecosystem, noting, “This seamless coordination is no coincidence. It reflects decades of vision and investment by our scientists, engineers, and policy makers—from DRDO to DPSUs, from defence primes to nimble MSMEs.” Emphasising the critical role of innovation in safeguarding maritime security, he added, “Technologies showcased at AeroDefCon2025 like surveillance systems, UAVs, propulsion technology, cyber security, and digital MRO platforms have direct application in our maritime domain.”
“Bharatiya Tatrakshak stands ready—to partner, to innovate, and to protect. Let us build together an India that is self-reliant, secure and globally competitive—from the ocean floor to the edge of space, ” the DG ICG reiterated.
AeroDefCon 2025 has made one thing resoundingly clear—Tamil Nadu is no longer just participating in India’s defence story; it is helping write the next chapters. India is going to be a global economic power. But having said so, economy comes from technology, economy comes from export. And export is respected when the power is there in the weapon. With the unwavering support of DRDO’s technology leadership and the Indian Coast Guard’s operational clarity, the state stands poised to be the launchpad of India’s defence metamorphosis. As innovation moves from labs to shopfloors, and from coastal security to aerospace supremacy, the bonds forged here—between government, armed forces, and industry—are shaping a future where Tamil Nadu is both sentinel and symbol of India’s defence rise.
