What Will Rajnath Singh Discuss at the Defence Financial Architecture Conference Tomorrow?

New Delhi, July 6 (NationPress) A significant policy dialogue, strategic review, and institutional innovation are set to be the focal points at the Controllers’ Conference 2025 of the Defence Accounts Department (DAD), which will be officially opened by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday, according to an official announcement.

The event, scheduled from July 7 to 9 in New Delhi, aims to gather leading figures from the DAD, civil services, academia, think tanks, and various stakeholders in the defence and finance sectors.

“This conference acts as an essential platform for assessing challenges, launching reforms, and enhancing the role of financial governance in defence preparedness,” stated the Defence Ministry in a press release on Sunday.

Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the gathering alongside prominent military and civilian leaders, including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, the three service chiefs, and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

Additionally, Financial Adviser for Defence Services S.G. Dastidar and Controller General of Defence Accounts Mayank Sharma will participate in the conference, which is poised to be instrumental in shaping India's defence financial architecture, as noted in the statement.

The theme for this year’s conference, ‘Transforming Financial Advice, Payment, Audit and Accounting through Defence Finance and Economics,’ signifies a fundamental shift within the department, evolving the DAD from a conventional finance and accounts body to a forward-looking institution dedicated to defence finance and economics.

This transformation is rooted in the strategic vision expressed by the Defence Minister on October 1, 2024, and is characterized by being internally driven, inclusive, and in sync with emerging national security requirements.

The DAD’s new Mission Statement and Motto, ‘Alert, Agile, Adaptive,’ will be formally introduced at the conference, according to the statement.

The event will host eight high-level business sessions (Manan Satras), addressing themes such as budget and accounts reform, internal audit restructuring, collaborative research, pricing innovation, and capacity enhancement.

These sessions will delve into the evolving responsibilities of Integrated Financial Advisors in maintaining fiscal responsibility while providing strategic support to a competitive and self-sufficient defence industry.

With a defence budget of Rs 26.8 lakh crore, which includes Rs 1.7 lakh crore allocated for pensions, the DAD plays a critical role in payroll, pension distribution, auditing, procurement pricing, and strategic financial guidance, as stated.