‘Military-Civil Fusion Conclave 2026’ to be held in Sambhajinagar

To strengthen coordination between the armed forces and the industrial sector and to promote defence manufacturing and innovation, the city will host the “Military-Civil Fusion Conclave 2026” from April 13 to 14. Organised by the Gadia Group, the conclave will be held at Mangalam Resort in Dhoregaon. This is the first initiative of its kind at the state level.

At a press conference held on Monday afternoon, retired army major Col A. Singh and managing director, Gadia Group Vedant Gadia shared detailed information about the event.

The primary objective of the conclave is to create a roadmap for establishing a defence manufacturing and innovation corridor in Maharashtra. In line with national visions such as “Viksit Bharat”, “Atmanirbhar Bharat” and “Make in India”, the initiative aims to bring together the Indian armed forces, defence industries, MSMEs, startups, academic institutions and government bodies.

The two-day event will see participation from serving and retired military officers, defence industry and DPSU representatives, MIDC officials, IIT Bombay, University of Mumbai and other academic institutions, along with national security experts and industry leaders.

Around 200 stalls will be set up at the conclave, featuring educational institutions, MIDC industries, startups and various businesses. It will offer a major platform for local colleges, small-scale entrepreneurs and startups.

Key highlights include the inauguration session, roadmap presentation on defence-civil integration, panel discussions by military officers, industry sessions under “Make in India”, startup technology presentations, live demonstrations, technology exhibitions, networking opportunities and the “Defence Manufacturing Excellence Awards”.

Veer Mata / Veer Nari honour

The most emotional segment of the conclave will be the Veer Mata and Veer Nari honour ceremony. Families of 11 martyred soldiers will be awarded Rs 1 lakh each as a tribute to their sacrifice.

Organisers stated that the initiative will inspire youth to pursue careers in innovation and defence, while also paving a new direction for the development of the defence industry in the state.