Defence minister likely to attend North Tech Symposium in Jammu next month

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to attend the North Tech Symposium here next month, officials said on Sunday.

More than 150 vendors are expected to showcase their military equipment in the three-day event starting September 11.

The defence ministry is likely to undertake a two-day tour of the Jammu region from September 12 to inaugurate a bridge over river Devak in Samba district besides 74 other projects of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), including airstrips and tunnels, along the northern and western borders.

Jammu-based Defence PRO Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said the symposium to be held at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu is a technology showcase event that provides an efficacious platform for army industry participation with an intent to interface directly with the end user and create awareness about contemporary technologies and equipment that can be exploited to meet operational and logistic requirements of the army's northern command.

The event also facilitates a structured approach for product evaluation, prioritisation and acquisition besides providing viable and actionable inputs for formulation of procurement plans, he said.

Lt Col Bartwal said about 150 vendors are expected to participate in the symposium which would consist of a seminar and exhibition on September 11 and 12 and the military equipment display on the concluding day.

After dedicating 75 projects to the nation at Samba, the defence minister is likely to visit the symposium on September 12, the officials said.

The construction of the Devak Bridge in Samba district has been accomplished within two years under Project Sampark.