Assocham seeks security audit for pvt sector defence firms

Industry body Assocham has urged the government to institute a system of security audit for private companies seeking to enter India’s defence sector. The audit could be done at the time when the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion grants them license to operate.

“These security instructions or orders, when duly implemented, should meet the fundamental security requirements,” the chamber said in a statement. It also said that managing director of the company should be held responsible for types of security in private company interested in design, development and manufacture of defence items. “The ministry of defence needs to additionally ensure that all private sector defence companies meet certain minimum security criterion based on a standardised template, acceptable to both the sides,” Assocham said.