Experts call for stronger MSME base to secure India's technological sovereignty
Experts at an ASME India event in Chennai said India's strategic autonomy hinges on a robust MSME supply chain and technological self-reliance.
India's path to strategic autonomy depends on building a resilient domestic manufacturing ecosystem, particularly among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), experts said at an event hosted by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) India in Chennai on Friday.
Speaking at the gathering, Madhukar Sharma, President of ASME India Private Limited, noted that demand in critical sectors such as nuclear energy and defence is rising, creating a need for tier-one firms to have a far larger pool of capable supply chain partners. He also highlighted ongoing efforts to expand nuclear engineering education, with ASME collaborating with faculty at institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science on curriculum development.
The event was aimed at bringing the global mechanical engineering community's expertise to India, with a focus on developing certified manufacturers, professional engineers, and future talent for the country's next industrial decade.
Air Marshal M. Matheswaran (Retd.), President of the Peninsula Foundation, argued that Indian MSMEs must move beyond manufacturing from blueprints to owning specifications. He pointed out that the primary gap is not just in design but also in metallurgy, reliability, and the kind of experiential knowledge that is built over decades. "Textbooks are insufficient and iterative experience matters," he said.
The discussions underscored a consensus that technological sovereignty and a strong domestic MSME base are essential for India to achieve greater self-reliance in strategic industries.