New Delhi– Women entrepreneurs and corporate houses can play a greater role in India’s defence production, the Ficci Ladies Organisation (FLO) said here on Monday.
“FLO welcomes recent steps taken by the government to promote participation of private sector in indigenous defence productions and 100 per cent FDI,” FLO President Vinita Bimbhet said during an interactive session with Defence Minsiter Manohar Parrikar on changing roles and opportunities for women in defence sector.
“Women entrepreneurs and corporate houses can play a greater role in defence production, research and support and take advantage of new government policy of greater private participation,” Bimbhet said.
She urged the Defence Minister to give preference to women in the canteen store department procurement, provide funding at subsidised rates to women entrepreneurs who are willing to supply to the forces, and give purchase preference to women vendors in the public procurement policy.
Earlier, Parrikar said women professionals are moving ahead in every field and now one comes across a large number of women chartered accountants, doctors and engineers.
The minister said that there was no reason that women cannot play a bigger role in the defence sector, be it combat roles or producing and supplying defence equipment.
