Revised SOP eases defence industry access to proof ranges, test facilities

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for utilisation of Defence Ministry proof ranges, field firing ranges and laboratory testing facilities by the Indian defence industry, with proof and testing charges waived for several government-backed developmental projects.

According to the Defence Ministry, the revised SOP aims to simplify and streamline access to testing infrastructure for indigenous defence companies, startups and innovators, and is expected to support the government’s push for “atmanirbharta” (self-reliance) in defence, innovation and defence exports.

Under the revised procedure, proof and testing charges have been waived for iDEX, Technology Development Fund (TDF), Make and other developmental projects of the Defence Ministry. A three-day slot every quarter has also been reserved at proof ranges for proof firing of government-sponsored developmental projects, including iDEX, TDF and Make projects.

The reserved slots will also cover developmental projects undertaken by indigenous defence firms on their own initiative, according to the revised SOP.

The SOP provides a list of proof ranges, field firing ranges and laboratory test facilities available with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Government Quality Assurance agencies and the three Services for use by Indian defence companies.

The Ministry said the procedure for calculating and paying proof and testing charges, wherever applicable, has been incorporated into the revised SOP. This is intended to simplify documentation and make the process more transparent and predictable for industry.

Another significant change is the replacement of the arbitration provision in the existing SOP with a conciliation agreement clause. The move is intended to facilitate faster resolution of issues that may arise between the industry and the authorities while using the testing and proof facilities.

Proof and field firing ranges are critical for the testing and validation of weapons, ammunition, platforms and other defence equipment before they can progress towards qualification and induction. Access to such facilities can be particularly important for startups and smaller private-sector companies that may not have dedicated testing infrastructure.

The Ministry said the revised procedure incorporates various government initiatives aimed at promoting indigenisation, innovation and defence exports, besides providing proof and test support to developmental projects undertaken by the Indian defence industry.