Industry 4.0: India’s defence industry needs smart manufacturing

Abstract

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (I4.0) envisages fusion of technologies across the physical, digital and biological worlds, and is transforming production, management and governance into a Smart Manufacturing paradigm. It is based on exploitation of current and futuristic technologies such as Internet of Things, 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing), 5 G connectivity, cyber security, robotics and automation. More than any other industry, defence innovation and manufacturing demand high quality and precision products. This paper brings out the need and current status of India’s defence manufacturing sector (state-controlled Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO), Ordnance Factories (OFs), Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), and Private Industry including MSMEs) with regard to I4.0, and seeks to establish what needs to be done in adopting features of smart manufacturing, to make it globally competitive. Primary data obtained from a small but knowledgeable sample population, duly analysed with descriptive statistics; followed by secondary data sources, establish the influencing factors. Interpretive Structural Modelling helped formulate a framework for smart manufacturing in India’s defence industry. The paper concludes with recommendations with regard to governmental, and industry stakeholders.