In pursuance of the Prime Minister’s vision to make India self-reliant, and in continuation of its seamless effort at localisation, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) organised BHEL SAMVAAD 4.0 - the fourth edition of its dialogue with domestic business partners, industry associations, academia, research institutes, government organisations, other ministries like DoE, DPIIT, MoP, MoSteel, MeitY, Railways, etc. and CPSEs like NTPC, SAIL, MIDHANI, HAL, BPCL, IOCL, ONGC, institutions like CEA, NCIIPC, ICAT, etc. at Bharat Mandapam. The theme of the event, organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), was ‘Strengthening self-reliance through innovation & collaboration’. The Independent External Monitors of BHEL also participated in the deliberations.

In his address, Union Minister of Heavy Industries & Steel, H. D. Kumaraswamy commended India’s remarkable progress toward becoming a global economic powerhouse under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister of India. He highlighted the transformative growth of India’s manufacturing sector, driven by flagship initiatives like Make in India and the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes. Acknowledging BHEL’s crucial role in strengthening the nation’s infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities, he lauded SAMVAAD as a unique platform fostering collaboration, innovation, and dialogue among stakeholders to advance India’s self-reliance agenda.

Speaking on the occasion, Kamran Rizvi, Secretary (HI) commended BHEL for fostering collaboration and indigenisation through this impactful platform. Highlighting the Ministry’s commitment to building a resilient manufacturing ecosystem to support the domestic industry, he commended the initiatives of BHEL SAMVAAD across time. He appreciated the content of various technical sessions during SAMVAAD 4.0 which included AI and Cyber Security. He also mentioned that the domestic industry and BHEL should continue to collaborate to strengthen the fabric of Make in India, by constantly innovating in every sphere.

In his address, Vijay Mittal, Joint Secretary (HI) highlighted the critical role of local supplier development in building a self-reliant India. He commended BHEL’s initiatives under SAMVAAD, the importance of platforms like Government e Marketplace (GeM) in enhancing transparency and efficiency in procurement, fostering growth for MSMEs.

Earlier, welcoming the delegates, K. Sadashiv Murthy, CMD, BHEL, urged all stakeholders to actively participate in the technical sessions, engage in meaningful discussions, and cultivate innovative ideas. He mentioned that the focus of BHEL was not only in indigenizing its procurement, but also developing products for other entities and thereby reducing their import content. He mentioned that the company has already invested in CAPEX, and developed & supplied the Ceramic Pouring Tubes to Indian Railways from its Division in Bengaluru.

During the event, the Union Minister released “Udyog Bharati”, a magazine of the Ministry of Heavy Industries, along with BHEL’s Engineering Compendium − “Innovation to AatmaNirbharta”.

The star performers among BHEL’s success partners who have contributed to the cause of Aatmanirbhar Bharat were felicitated on the occasion by the Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, H. D. Kumaraswamy.

During the event, Jai Prakash Srivastava, Director (E, R&D), highlighted the diverse and insightful technical sessions conducted during BHEL SAMVAAD 4.0. He expressed his gratitude to all stakeholders for their enthusiastic participation and invaluable contributions, which were instrumental in making the event a resounding success.