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Pune: The Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) has solidified its commitment to empowering MSMEs in and around Pune with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Aatmanirbhar Centre of Excellence in Pune (ACOEP). The signing ceremony, held today at the MCCIA premises, marks a pivotal moment in fostering collaboration between Defence, academia, and research institutes.
The overarching objective of ACOEP is to formally showcase the strengths and potential of the Pune Region in various technology development domains, with the ultimate aim of gaining recognition as a Defence Technology Centre in the near future, stated a press release.
In a strategic move towards advancing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, MCCIA has played a pivotal role as the industry partner in bringing together Army representatives (end-users), academia (Army Institute of Technology, Pune), and esteemed research institutes (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, (IISER)), and Strategic Research & Growth Foundation (SRGF). This collaboration has resulted in the establishment of the Aatmanirbhar Centre of Excellence in Pune (ACOEP).
The primary focus of ACOEP is to tackle critical Defence challenges through cutting-edge research and innovation, with a goal to generate intellectual properties transferable to industries for practical implementation. The centre will concentrate on various technologies, including but not limited to AI/ML, Drones/Anti-Drone Tech, Cyber Security, and specific problem areas identified by the Defence.
Senior representatives from the stakeholders who graced the signing ceremony were Major General Abhijeet Bapat, MGGS, Brig Rajiv Gautam, Director, RTN from HQ Southern Command; Brig Abhay Bhat, Director, and Dr Seema Tiwari, Dean R&D, from AIT; Prof Anjan Banerjee, Dean R&D, and Prof Santhnaam, from IISER; Mr. Varun Khandare and Mr. Chaitnya from SRGF, and Mr. Prashant Girbane, Director General, MCCIA.
Through its dedicated Defence Committee, MCCIA has been at the forefront of initiatives aimed at creating synergy between Defence establishments and the industry. The committee’s role includes guiding industries in identifying Defence requirements, facilitating Defence registrations, and addressing other pertinent matters, the press added.
