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2025 Speakers

Colin Frost

Chief Executive Officer

Marian Lubieniecki

Vice President – Propulsion Systems

Alex T Koshy

Director – India Entry, M&A

Vaishnavi Jayaraman

Vice President

Bart Korff

Advisory Board Member

Professor Ashwani Sharma

Chairperson

Girish Nilange

GM – Sales & Marketing

Darius Liu

Head of Strategic Planning & Business Expansion, Cyber

Sriram Ramamurthy

General Manager

Karthi Thiyagarajan

Founder and Lead Consultant

Niranjan Malode

Deputy CEO

Frédéric Besson

Vice President, CATIA Global Sales

Rajashekar Swamy

Senior Manager, Cities & Public Services

Dr Ravishankar Mariayyah

Senior Manager, Cities & Public Services

Dr. Srimathy Kesan

Founder and CEO

 

Mohan D S

Founder and CEO

Professor Satya Chakravarthy

Founder and CEO

Abishek Malhotra

Senior Advocate

Mr J S Gavankar

CEO & Country Head SAFRAN India

Clementine Gallet

CEO

Vish Saharanamam

CEO and Co-Founder

Alexandre Correia

Senior Director – Aeroline India

Mr. Chanabasappa Shirkoli

Head Business Development

Dr Asad Ahmed R

Professor

Mr Sharad Agarwal

CEO

Shri Marimuthu Chandran Balasubramaniam

Chairman & Managing Director

Oscar Samet

Representative

Serge Delwasse

CEO

Thibaut Spor

Aeronautics and Civil Aviation Counsellor 

Carey Arun

Principal Commercial Officer 

Maanav Goel

Managing Director

Mr Ramachandran

Chairman

Gilad Hassid

Vice President of Business Development

Sanjay Gupta

Head of Marketing

Lt General Karanbir Singh Brar

(Retired)

Air Marshal M Matheswaran AVSM VM PhD

(Veteran) Indian Air Force

Commodore (Dr) Arun Pratap Golaya (Retd), VSM

A former Naval Officer

Lieutenant General PJS PANNU, PVSM, AVSM,VSM

Former Deputy Cheif of Indian Integrated Defence Staff

Ms Silai Zaki

Consul-General

Colin Frost

Chief Executive Officer

Colin Frost

Chief Executive Officer

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Colin Frost

Chief Executive Officer

Colin W. Frost is the Chief Executive Officer of Carr Lane Manufacturing Co. (www.carrlane.com), a global leader in standard tooling components and industrial parts since 1952. Under his leadership, Carr Lane has expanded its international presence, including the founding of Carr Lane Manufacturing India Pvt. Ltd. in Chennai.

Colin holds over six U.S. patents related to fixturing and tooling design, including innovations in
alignment, clamping, and workholding systems. His technical focus is on standardization and
repeatability — enabling manufacturers to reduce setup time, improve accuracy, and increase
throughput without compromising quality.

With a background in strategy and product development, he works closely with engineers and
OEMs to align tooling solutions with demanding manufacturing requirements. He earned his
bachelor’s degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Marian Lubieniecki

Vice President – Propulsion Systems

Marian Lubieniecki is the Vice President of Propulsion Systems at EDGE, one of the world’s leading advanced technology and defence groups.

In his role, Lubieniecki spearheads the development and commercialization of propulsion technologies across five key programs, supporting critical sectors such as defence, aerospace, and autonomous systems.

Additionally, he oversees the design, research and development, prototyping, testing, and production of advanced propulsion systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and autonomous aerial platforms.

Lubieniecki is also responsible for driving the global expansion of POWERTECH, EDGE Group’s aerospace and propulsion arm, by identifying strategic growth markets, fostering international partnerships, and aligning the company’s advanced propulsion technologies with the global defence and aviation markets’ needs.

With more than 25 years of experience, Lubieniecki has held various senior leadership positions across the aviation, power, and oil and gas sectors. His expertise spans technical and project leadership in the design, manufacturing, and servicing of jet engines, industrial power plants, gas turbines, turbomachinery, and offshore systems. In addition, he has led business transformation, mergers and acquisitions, and driven business development in key international markets.

Prior to joining EDGE, Lubieniecki served as the Executive Director of Technology Development Programs for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) at GE Aerospace.

In this role, he led major aerospace propulsion technology projects, including research and development initiatives focused on hydrogen and hybrid-powered propulsion for both military and commercial aviation applications.

He also served as the Managing Director and Chairman of the Board at GE Company Polska, where he played a critical role in expanding the company’s international footprint, establishing new centres of excellence, and advancing the integration of sustainable technologies into aerospace propulsion systems.

Beyond his extensive expertise in the aerospace sector, Lubieniecki’s career also includes a successful tenure as the Subsea and Drilling Manager at GE Oil & Gas, where he oversaw the delivery of strategic undertakings such as the Subsea Production Systems and Services and the OTCP Ghana Engineering projects.

He also led the global roll-out of the Should Cost methodology, significantly enhancing manufacturing efficiency and optimising costs across GE’s supply chain.

Lubieniecki holds a PhD in Technical Sciences from the Institute of Fluid Flow Machinery, Polish Academy of Sciences, and a Master of Science in Mechanics from Gdańsk University of Technology. He has also completed multiple leadership and engineering programmes, including Design for Six Sigma Black Belt and Shingijutsu Kaizen for Jet Engine and Gas Turbine Manufacturing.

Alex T Koshy

Director – India Entry, M&A

  1. Qualified professional with MBA (UK), ACS, MA (Eco), MCom, CIMA (Adv. Diploma)
  2. 18 years of corporate and professional services experience
  3. Strategic advisor to many foreign businesses for doing business in India owing to his global exposure and Indian Industry & business knowledge
  4. Expertise and interest areas include Strategy & Business Planning, Cross Border Trade & Investments, Business Development & Strategic Relationship Building.
  5. Widely traveled, lived and worked around the world
  6. Cross Border Industry Affiliation with Bilateral Chambers of Commerce and Industry Associations and is currently the Co-Chair of the International Co-operation committee at the Madras Chamber of Commerce.

Vaishnavi Jayaraman

Vice President

Chemical Engineering Gold Medallist Graduate from SSN, Anna University with a Master in Business Administration (MBA, Entrepreneurship) from Johannesburg. She has taken a module at Google, New York and at Harvard Business School, Boston as a part of her Global exchange program during her MBA. 

Vaishnavi used to work as a Procurement Category Lead in the field of Industrial and Process Specialties, specialized in providing customized Market Intelligence to 40+ Fortune 500 clients. 

Currently – Director of EQuad Engineering Services – An Engineering Design Firm – Specialising in Re engineering & Indigenisation with focus on Automotive, Defence and Aerospace Sectors.

Clientele & End User Projects executed include ISRO, DRDO, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, LnT Defence, , Engine Factory Avadi, Heavy Vehicles Factory, Data Patters, KADIMI Steels, , KUN Aerospace, Werywin Defence, TUNGA Aerospace, ZUPPA, MELSS, Aerospace Engineer , GMMCO, Polyhose to name a few.

Vaishnavi also serves as Vice President – UCAL Ltd. UCAL leads as an Innovation solution provider offering range of systems and components to meet needs of Automotive, Aerospace and Defence Sectors. UCAL Group integrates its various verticals to provide end to end solutions – starting with Revolutionary Concepts, Robust Design, Rapid Prototyping , Rigours Testing and Reliable Manufacturing Clientele & End User Projects executed include HAL, Brahmos, Bharat Electronics, ADA, ISRO, BHEL, TATA, Suzuki, TVS, Bajaj, Ashok Leyland, LnT Defence to name a few. 

Personally she is a musician and a classical dance performer, teacher and choreographer who has toured extensively across India, Germany, Holland, France, Luxemburg and South Africa. She is also visiting faculty for two leading dance schools in Johannesburg where she holds annual workshops for teaching Bharatham. 

PUBLICATIONS

  • Article Authored – “Impact of Innovative Technology on TiO2” featured as COVER Story in Indian
  • Chemical Council Magazine in the 2013 New Year Issue Authored article titled “Titanium Dioxide Substitution” featured in an international magazines voted “Top 20 Feature Articles of 2013”

INTERNATIONAL WEBINARS / PODCASTS

  • Presenting Live on Web Platform to Global Procurement Heads on Costing and Profitability – Levers for Procurement Negotiations

 

Bart Korff

Advisory Board Member

Bart Korff, born in Amsterdam, 13-01-1964, studied Aerospace Engineering in Delft. Joined Fokker Aircraft as a conceptual design engineer, and in succession after their bankruptcy worked as an engineer and IPT lead on the F35 vectored nozzle at Rolls Royce in Bristol, the A340 leading edge, as a Program Director on the A380 leading edge, as a head of costing and proposals on the Gulfstream G7 T-tail, Embraer Phenom T-tail, joining the development program in Nagoya, Japan responsible for certification of the Mitsubishi MRJ. To become Business Unit CEO for Galley and Galley equipment with production and development  from 5 countries with HQ in Herborn, Germany and Huntington Beach, USA. Retired in 2021. Joining Sona and Sona Speed as a GM to drive this startup through its first stages of development. 

Ashwani Sharma

Chairperson

Ashwani Sharma, teaches AEROSPACE Engineering at Chandigarh University. He heads India’s premier Aviation Society (AeSI) as Chairman of BOM Branch. He is Aviation Adviser at Edgevarsity Learning Systems Pvt Ltd, BLR and is Associate Director at 3D GRAPHY. 

Ashwani is an Aviation veteran in true sense of the word. He is a consummate aviation professional providing effective and stellar leadership in the field of Airline & MRO Engineering with a proven track record of achieving stated goals within record time.

With a 49 years long aviation career that spans Aircraft Maintenance, Quality Management, Safety Management, Lease Management, Training & Skill Development, Ashwani has earned accolades from industry captains, national/international aviation regulators, peers and associates.

Considering his comprehensive knowledge and experience, AIR INDIA has partnered with him and engaged him to deliver series of lectures on the topic of “AVIATION for NON-AVIATION” !

Ashwani earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College (Punjab University), Chandigarh and obtained an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence (DGCA India).

With his sound knowledge and understanding of all aspects of aviation engineering, Ashwani is omnipresent at every international aviation conference as a speaker, presenter, panelist & moderator.  He has wowed his peers with outstanding presentations at more than 130 conferences all round the globe.

Ashwani has been involved with many professional bodies in a long career including ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY, AIRCRAFT ENGINEER’S INTERNATIONAL etc.

Girish Nilange

GM – Sales & Marketing

Girish brings over 25 years of experience in the Aerospace & Defence industry, with a strong focus on international business strategy, business development, and organizational growth. He specializes in military-grade connectors and interconnect accessories, and has extensive technical expertise in CNC industrialization, manufacturing engineering, NC programming, and tooling design for the Aerospace and Oil & Gas sectors.

With a proven track record in leading organizations, driving new business development, and managing complex projects, he is also deeply experienced in mentoring teams and delivering technical solutions across Aerospace, Oil & Gas, and industrial components.

Darius Liu

Head of Strategic Planning & Business Expansion, Cyber

Darius currently holds the position of Head of Strategic Planning & Business Expansion, Cyber at ST Engineering. In this role, Darius is responsible for driving long-term growth of ST Engineering Cyber’s business by identifying new market opportunities, developing expansion strategies and ensuring business sustainability. Darius is also engaged in building strategic relationships with key partners globally to establish and deepen long-term business relationships.

Prior to ST Engineering, Darius held the position of Head of Strategy, Partnerships & Growth at AI Singapore, a national program dedicated to amplifying the societal and economic impact of AI research and technology. His responsibilities include leading the development of strategic partnerships with government and industry partners, as well as facilitating the commercialization of AI Singapore’s product and technology solutions. Darius is a key member of the pioneering team within AI Singapore that developed and launched the SEA-LION Multilingual Large Language Model (LLM) for Southeast Asian languages and applications.

Darius also served as the COO of N PrimePartners Capital (NPrime), an independent investment firm that provides a full suite of family office, fund management and advisory services, specializing in managing and advising private equity and other funds. NPrime is a regulated financial institution with a Capital Markets Services License issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Prior to AI Singapore and NPrime, Darius was a startup founder. He co-founded ADDX, the world’s first fully-regulated platform for digital securities which integrates issuance, custody, and secondary trading of private market assets in a digital platform powered by blockchain and smart contract technology. (www.ADDX.co)

In his earlier roles, Darius was Vice President of Total Portfolio Strategy (TPS) at GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund. At GIC, Darius specialized in asset allocation and portfolio construction. He initially joined the Human Resource and Organization Department in 2013 before transitioning to the TPS team in 2015.

Darius also served as a Singapore Government Administrative Service Officer and the Head of Strategic and Operational Planning at the Singapore Ministry of Defence. His significant achievements include establishing the strategic planning and capability development framework for the organization, and operationalizing the enterprise budget and resource allocation mechanisms. He also served in the Singapore Ministry of Finance, managing strategic issues related to Singapore’s financial reserves and overseeing matters pertaining to the national reserves held and managed by GIC, Temasek Holdings and MAS (Singapore’s financial regulator and central bank).

Academically, Darius is a recipient of the Singapore Public Service Commission Overseas Merit Scholarship. He graduated top of his class, Summa cum Laude with a BSc in Mechanical Engineering (2003) and an MSc in Mechanical Engineering (2004) from Cornell University. He later earned a Master of Science in Financial Engineering from the National University of Singapore. Professional certifications include the CFA and CAIA Charters. Additional qualifications include a Performer’s Certificate in Violin (Trinity School of Music, UK) and a Private Pilot License (IFR land and sea) from the US FAA.

Sriram Ramamurthy

General Manager

Sriram Ramamurthy is an experienced business leader with over 20 years of expertise in managing end-to-end operations, driving business growth, and strengthening customer relationships across Aerospace and Automotive industry. He has been instrumental in advancing engineering solutions that meet the evolving needs of aerospace and defence clients.

 Known for a customer-first approach, Sriram has successfully delivered innovative solutions that enhance client satisfaction, expand market presence, and improve overall efficiency.  He has successfully led cross-functional teams, optimized processes, and implemented growth strategies that have enhanced organizational performance and market presence.

Karthi Thiyagarajan

Founder and Lead Consultant

Mr. Karthi Thiyagarajan is the Founder and Lead Consultant at Nucleus Consultants (Chennai), with 20+ years of practice in aerospace and defence quality management. He has supported 600+ organizations and delivered 1,500+ training sessions. His expertise spans AS9100 seiries, AS13100 series, NADCAP Accreditation Consulting Services. A lead–trainer- practitioner, he mentors teams on APQP/PPAP, FOD prevention, and human factors.

Niranjan Malode

Deputy CEO

Niranjan began his professional journey with Safran Data Systems India from 2013, focusing on the design and development of LabVIEW-based software solutions.

After his initial start he wore multiple hats and played varied roles including Lead Customer Training Initiatives.

He got his MBA from the prestigious Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), he decided to apply his new skills and innate business acumen. Therefore, in 2017, he transitioned into Business Development and Sales, where he played a key role in expanding the company’s market brand value.

In 2018, he established the Marketing division within SDSI, further strengthening the company’s strategic positioning. As a Regional Director – Sales & Marketing for the Aerospace and Defence sector in 2019, he successfully managed key accounts and became central to revenue generation.

Following the acquisition of SDS France in 2022, Niranjan led the Aero-Defence business operations in India. He also became central to the company’s “Make in India” leg as he built Go-To-Market plans for several flagship products.

Now as the Deputy CEO of Safran Data Systems India, he is playing the ultimate role of a problem solver, defining the trajectory of the organization’s success. He is a key leader not just in Safran but in the Aerodefence industry.

Frédéric Besson

Vice President, CATIA Global Sales

Frederic Besson is the Vice President of CATIA. He leads the company’s worldwide growth strategy for CATIA, overseeing all sales channels and industry segments. Since joining Dassault Systèmes in 2011 as Global Account Director for the Airbus Group, Frederic has played a pivotal role in managing relationships across multiple countries, including France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, India, China, the USA, and Canada.

Prior to his tenure at Dassault Systèmes, Frederic held progressive management roles from 1999 to 2011 in IBM Software Group and IBM PLM Solutions, with experience spanning Canada, Europe, and North Africa. He began his career in the French start-up sector, contributing to the PDM business in roles ranging from product manager to technical sales manager. Frederic holds a major degree in Information Systems & MRP from Université Lyon 1. In his leisure time, he enjoys golf, skiing, and running.

Rajashekar Swamy

Senior Manager, Cities & Public Services

Rajashekar Swamy has over two decades of rich experience across diverse industries in technical, sales, and business development roles, having worked with leading multinational companies in various capacities. He began his career as a Sales Executive and, over the years, played a key role in facilitating and driving the adoption of global best practices in CAD/CAM/PLM and enterprises solutions at numerous OEMs and suppliers across multiple industry domains.

Prior to joining Dassault Systèmes India, Rajashekar was with Keysight Technologies (formerly ESI Software), where he was responsible for driving strategic business partnerships with large accounts. By education, he is an Engineer.

Rajashekar joined Dassault Systèmes in 2017 and has since led several key transformational projects across industries including Automotive, Life Sciences, Aerospace & Defense, and Government. He has also been instrumental in establishing pioneering partnerships in areas such as workforce of the future, project governance, and virtual city initiatives across India.

Dr Ravishankar Mariayyah

Senior Manager, Cities & Public Services

Dr. Ravishankar Mariayyah has been with Dassault Systèmes India for over 17 years, where he currently serves as an expert in Aerospace and Defense.

In his present role, he is responsible for technical marketing, content creation, consulting, and training, all aimed at driving the growth of Dassault Systèmes’ product portfolio within large Aerospace and Defense organizations.

Before joining Dassault Systèmes, he worked as an equipment design engineer at Intel Corporation in Chandler, Arizona.

Dr. Mariayyah holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with specialized expertise in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), optimization and stochastic design, as well as non-linear finite element analysis (FEA) and computer-aided engineering (CAE), areas in which he continues to make impactful contributions.

Dr. Srimathy Kesan

Founder and CEO

Dr. Srimathy Kesan is the Founder and CEO of Space Kidz India, a pioneering aerospace organization that has designed, built, and launched over 25 space missions, including satellites and suborbital payloads. She made history by leading the launch of KalamSat, the world’s smallest and lightest satellite, and the AzaadiSAT missions—groundbreaking projects that involved 750 girl students across India in satellite development.

Recognized globally for her contributions to space education and innovation, Dr. Kesan is the only Indian to have been honored with ambassador status at NASA, ESA, and Russia’s GCTC. She has also been the first Indian woman to experience zero-gravity flight alongside legendary astronauts.

Beyond her technical achievements, she is deeply committed to STEM education and social impact, working with governments, international organizations, and students from rural and urban backgrounds to make space exploration more accessible. Her leadership has earned her numerous honors, including the Globant Global Women in Tech Award (2023), the Devi Award (2024), and Business Woman of the Year (2025, Women Leaders in Electronics Awards, London).

Through her work, Dr. Kesan continues to inspire the next generation to reach for the stars while promoting equity, innovation, and opportunity in the space sector.

Mohan D S

CEO

Mohan D S is CEO, SQuAD Forging India, a joint venture of Aequs and Aubert & Duval of France, a global player in large closed-die forgings. The JV manufactures aerospace parts and components of the highest quality and reliability for aerospace OEMs and other global customers. 

Mohan is responsible for businesses of SQuAD across geographies with a mandate to take it to the growth phase. He is responsible for driving greater vertical integration, scaling the sales organization and the operations of the company at Aequs. 

With experience of over 35 +years, Mohan spent most of his career at Aequs with the tenure cutting across Aerospace manufacturing, design, operations, manufacturing engineering and program management. 

Before moving to Aequs, he worked with QuEST Global Engineering and Kirloskar Electric Company.

Mohan is a graduate in Mechanical Engineering from BVB college of Engineering- Karnataka University.

Professor Satya Chakravarthy

Founder and CEO

Zealous about deep tech entrepreneurship to democratise technology and foster sustainable development, Prof. Satya Chakravarthy is the Founder & CEO of The ePlane Company, which is in pursuit of building India’s first flying electric taxi.

In 2019, he embarked on a path to make flying ubiquitous by teaching the world’s first electric aircraft, alongside The ePlane Company being incubated at IIT Madras. He also founded and heads the National Centre for Combustion Research & Development (NCCRD) – one of the world’s largest research centres that houses state-of-the-art infrastructure for combustion research.

Beyond this, Prof. Satya is a two-time TEDx speaker and also the Co-founder of innovative startups such as Agnikul Cosmos, Aerostrovilos Energy, Avishkaar Hyperloop, and GalaxEye, that are redefining the aerospace ecosystem in India.

Abishek Malhotra

Senior Advocate

Abhishek Malhotra is a Senior Advocate with a 25-year standing as an arguing counsel. He has represented a wide variety of individuals, companies and Government institutions in a variety of matters across the country. He has appeared before the Supreme Court, the High Courts of Judicature at Delhi (where he practices regularly), Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab & Haryana, Allahabad, Calcutta, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Bombay, Odisha, Kerala, Madras and Karnataka. 

An alumnus of the National Law School of India University, Bangalore, he also holds an LL.M. from U.S.A. He is qualified to practice in India and California, U.S.A.  

Over the last more than 25 years of practice, Mr. Malhotra has been engaged in matters relating to Commercial Disputes, Arbitrations, Infrastructure development and land acquisition related mandates, Intellectual Property, and Regulatory Disputes. Mr. Malhotra has represented the Competition Commission of India as a panel counsel and has been invited as an expert on various issues by Government departments such as Ministry of HRD, Ministry of MIB, Department of Telecommunication, Department of Space, etc. He also regularly speaks at institutions such as the National Judicial Academy, National Law School, US-India Business Council, FICCI and CII. 

Mr J S Gavankar

CEO & Country Head SAFRAN India

Mr. J.S. Gavankar is the Chief Executive Officer of Safran India and a distinguished leader in the aerospace and defence sector, with an illustrious career spanning over three and a half decades. His experience covers the entire spectrum of the industry—from core research and development to product development, strategy formulation, and business growth.

He began his career with the Indian Air Force, followed by a pivotal role as Deputy Project Director at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the development of the Astra missile. Subsequently, he contributed significantly to India’s private industry, helping the Adani Group establish its Aerospace & Defence business.

Mr. Gavankar has also served as Director – Engineering at Honeywell India and as Managing Director of Safran Helicopter Engines India, where he played a key role in the co-development of helicopter engines with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Having served in the Armed Forces, DRDO, DPSUs, Indian industry, and with global OEMs, he brings a deep and holistic understanding of global aerospace and defence ecosystem.

Mr. Gavankar is an alumnus of BITS Pilani and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Clementine Gallet

CEO

Clémentine Gallet, CEO of Coriolis Composites, is chair of the Aero MSME committee of the French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS). She is an expert in robotics and digitalisation, she promotes the digital transformation of factories.

Vish Saharanamam

CEO and Co-Founder

Vish is a seasoned operating executive and a successful tech entrepreneur with over two and half decades of experience in strategic business planning, product strategy, product management & marketing, strategic alliances, and business development. He has 7+ years of resident international work experience in Canada, USA, Sweden, Israel, and China. Over a career spanning professional and entrepreneurial pursuits, having launched new products, businesses, and startups, since 2015 onwards he forayed into a career in the establishment of everlasting institutions with sustainable and inclusive economic impact, population-scale

capacity building, and national-scale technology driven transformation as their core purposes. Forge Innovation & Ventures is the first and followed by Forge’s pioneering role in iDEX, FORT, and InnovateTN to name a few.

Vish co-founded Forge in 2015 with the vision to transform India’s innovation economy in the industrial digital age, by building and operating a national-scale Innovation Value Network to catalyse talent, technology and ventures. Forge is a vertically integrated enterprise that operates in the entire innovation value chain covering talent transformation, technology labs, product innovation, startup incubation, venture acceleration, and seed investments – enabling transformation of India’s industrial sectors through programs with academia, industry, and government.

Vish has played a pivotal role in building and scaling iDEX, the open innovation program launched by MoD that won the prestigious PM Award for Excellence in Public Administration and has emerged as the largest open innovation platform for India’s national defence and security. Vish has been invited to deliver lectures at the National Defence College (NDC), Delhi to course participants in India’s highest institute for strategic sector learning for senior oficers from various arms of the government, defence services, and friendly foreign countries on topics in the fields of Innovation and Technology Management & Capabilities Development in Strategic defence and security sectors.

Vish serves as Board Advisor to India’s first Strategic sector VC fund – MGF Kavachh, and is on the Advisory Board of INDUS-X a joint initiative between DoD (USA)and MoD (India)to promote bilateral progress in nurturing a stronger strategic technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Vish as Member of the Steering Committee and Curators Council of Nilgiris Economic Dialogue, is driving the forging of strategic ties between Indian defence forces and industry for embracing thematic synergies in Geo-politics & De-globalisation, Resource Eficiency & Circularity, Digital Economy & Inclusive Growth to propel India towards a self-reliant, innovative, and sustainable defence ecosystem.

Vish received his PGDM (MBA) from IIM-Bangalore and his BE degree from CEG-Chennai (Anna Univ).

Alexandre Correia

Senior Director – Aeroline India

Alexandre Correia is a senior director at Sopra Steria and he is heading the vertical for aerospace, defense and engineering in India.

Within his experience over the past 20 years, Alexandre has worked in multiple sectors including nuclear energy, aeronautics, and space and defense industries in Europe.

Within his role at Sopra Steria, he delivered a number of programmes relative to IT infrastructure, sensitive applications, cybersecurity and critical systems for leading European companies.

Sopra Steria is a prominent technology and consulting company that supports clients in critical sectors, such as defense, finance, and public administration, to protect their digital infrastructure and systems. Their services include strategies for cloud adoption and management, cybersecurity solutions, data management, and the implementation of new technologies like AI, IoT, and blockchain, all with a strong focus on supporting digital sovereignty and resilience.

Sopra Steria Aeroline is Sopra Steria’s dedicated unit for the aerospace sector, providing a range of digital services including consulting, systems integration, cybersecurity, and software publishing to help aerospace companies transform their engineering, manufacturing, maintenance, and air traffic management functions.

Chanabasappa S Shirkoli

Head Business Development

Mr. Chanabasappa Shirkoli holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Karnataka University, Dharwad, and further specialized in Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing at the University of Greenwich, United Kingdom.

With over two decades of rich experience in marketing, business development, and project management, he has made significant contributions across the aerospace & defense, automotive, and oil & gas industries, driving the success of numerous innovative products.

His expertise in building and nurturing a strategic customer base has ensured consistently high levels of customer satisfaction. He has been instrumental in forging strategic partnerships with major OEMs and Tier-1 companies, thereby strengthening long-term collaborations.

Before his current role at LMW, Mr. Shirkoli held leadership positions at Enlivening Technologies as AVP of Sales and at Hampson Industries as Head of Business Development, Project Management, and Supply Chain Management. During his tenure at Aequs, his initiatives to deliver ecosystem-driven value propositions achieved remarkable success.

Dr Asad Ahmed R

Professor

Asad Ahmed R was born in Tindivanam, India, in 1984. He received his B.Tech degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology, Anna University India, in 2005, and the M.S degree in Aerospace engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo USA in 2007 and PhD degree in the faculty of Mechanical Engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology, Anna University India, in 2014.

In 2007, he joined the GE Aero Energy, Houston USA as project engineer and later on went to join teaching profession. He has a rich experience of more than seventeen years in Teaching, Research and Administrative positions at prominent Aero Engineering courses offering Institutions in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He is presently Professor at BSA Crescent Institute of Science and Technology Chennai India. 

His current research interests include High speed jets, Aerodynamics, CFD, FEM and UAVs. He is a Life Member of the Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI), Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE) and he is also Founder & Treasurer of Tamil Nadu Engineering College Faculty Welfare Association (TNECFWA) where he is an active Founding Member. He has presented 27 papers in International Conference and 22 publications in International Journal. He has participated in numerous panel discussions on various Engineering Topics and also has moderated three sessions.

Mr Sharad Agarwal

CEO

Mr. Sharad Agarwal, an alumnus of Birla Public School, Pilani; Kendriya Vidyalaya Surat; and IIT Bombay, brings over three decades of extensive experience and leadership in the aviation industry. He embarked on his career with Indian Airlines as a Graduate Engineer Trainee in 1986, demonstrating early on his dedication and technical proficiency. 

Mr. Agarwal has a robust background in Line Maintenance and Workshop Maintenance, serving as a certifying staff and ensuring the highest standards of aircraft maintenance and safety. Furthering his expertise, he completed a Post Graduate Management program from ISB Hyderabad, which propelled him into strategic roles within the aviation sector. 

In his capacity as Quality Manager for Al Engineering Services Ltd. (AIESL), Mr. Agarwal played a pivotal role in implementing the newly drafted CAR 66 regulations, enhancing the company’s compliance and operational standards. He also significantly contributed to the setup of the Integrated Operation Control Centre for Air India, streamlining operations and improving efficiency.

Currently, as the CEO of AIESL, Mr. Agarwal has been instrumental in driving the company’s growth. Under his leadership, AIESL has expanded its market share and increased brand visibility both domestically and internationally. His visionary approach and strategic initiatives have enabled AIESL to achieve new heights, solidifying its position as a leader in the aviation engineering services industry.

Mr. Agarwal’s career is a testament to his commitment to excellence and innovation in aviation engineering. His strategic vision continues to inspire and lead AIESL toward a future of sustained growth and success.

Shri Marimuthu Chandran Balasubramaniam

Chairman & Managing Director

Shri MC Balasubramaniam, Chairman & Managing Director, assumed charge on the Board of Gliders India Limited (GIL) on 23rd January 2025. A seasoned technocrat and a highly regarded officer of the 1999 batch of the Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS), Shri Balasubramaniam brings with him over 25 years of distinguished service in the defence manufacturing sector.

An alumnus of the Anna University, Chennai, he holds a Bachelor of Technology degree and commenced his professional journey as probationary Officer in the esteemed National Academy of Defence Production. Since then, his career trajectory has been marked by progressive leadership roles across key defence production establishments under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. 

Prior to his current appointment, Shri Balasubramaniam held the position of General Manager at the Ordnance Parachute Factory, Kanpur, a premier unit under the Ministry of Defence. He has also served in various senior capacities at the Ordnance Equipment Factory (Kanpur), Ordnance Clothing Factory (Avadi), and Ordnance Equipment Factory (Hazratpur), where he spearheaded several strategic and operational initiatives.

Throughout his illustrious career, Shri Balasubramaniam has played a pivotal role in leading cross-functional teams and driving excellence across a broad spectrum of functional domains. He possesses deep technical and managerial expertise in the design, development, and mass production of critical defence and tactical equipment. 

Shri Balasubramaniam’s contributions have been instrumental in enhancing India’s defence production capabilities and promoting indigenization, in alignment with national initiatives such as ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. His strategic foresight and operational excellence have ensured the successful delivery of key products to the Indian Armed Forces, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and global clients through exports. He exemplifies a unique blend of technical proficiency, managerial depth and visionary leadership making him a pivotal force in the transformation and modernization of India’s defence manufacturing landscape.

Oscar Samet

Representative

Oscar Samet has been the representative of the French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS) in India, based in New Delhi, since June 2024.

Within the International Affairs department, he advises and supports French companies in the sector in their development. He is a graduate engineer from INSA Lyon and holds a Specialized Master’s degree from ESSEC and CENTRALESUPELEC. From 2019 to 2022, at SAFRAN, he led innovative projects involving hydrogen-powered aircraft and biofuels.

Oscar.SAMET@gifas.fr

Serge Delwasse

CEO

Serge Delwasse has an engineering degree from Ecole Polytechnique and an MBA form INSEAD. With over 25 years’ experience as MD of several companies in different industries, he created CetraC.io. As a graduate of IHEDN (advanced defense studies), he has a broad knowledge of defense and cybersecurity issues.

Thibaut Spor

Aeronautics and Civil Aviation Counsellor 

Thibaut Spor is the Aviation and Civil Aviation Counsellor at the Economic Department of the French Embassy in India.

Since his posting in New Delhi, he has been working to further deepen the longstanding cooperation between India and France in the aviation sector, which stands at the core of the strategic partnership between the two nations.

Prior to joining the Embassy, Thibaut spent more than seven years at the French Civil Aviation Authority as a policy maker. He contributed to key areas such as aviation security, European and international air transport negotiations, and airport management, gaining solid expertise in regulatory affairs, international cooperation, and strategic oversight.

Carey Anun

Principle Commercial Officer

U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service India

U.S. Mission to India, Consulate General Chennai

Carey joined the U.S. Mission to India as Principal Commercial Officer in Chennai in 2022. Carey leads a team of nine local specialists responsible for bilateral commercial affairs between Southern India and the United States. She manages the CS Chennai and CS Bengaluru offices and advises the U.S. Missions to Sri Lanka and Maldives on commercial and trade related matters. Carey serves as the U.S. Mission to India coordinator for space commerce and serves as co-organizer on the Commercial Space sub-working group, part of the U.S. India Civil Space Joint Working Group.

Carey joined the U.S. Department of Commerce in 2017 and has served in Mexico, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland.  Prior to the Commercial Service, Carey managed strategic programs for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), worked for Lockheed Martin in business development and program management, and held positions with the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Navy.  Carey has a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Baltimore and holds two post graduate certificates, Multinational Financial Management from Thunderbird at Arizona State, and the Mechanics of Project Finance from IFF & Middlesex University.  Carey is fluent in English and Spanish and dabbles in Tamil.

Maanav Goel

Managing Director

Mr.Maanav Goel serves as the Managing Director of Hoffmann Group India, a position he has held since 2018. He leads the company’s strategic direction in India, overseeing strategic Business Development, and key partnerships to expand Hoffmann’s footprint in one of the world’s fastest-growing industrial markets.

Under Maanav’s leadership, Hoffmann Group India has grown its presence significantly, bringing the global strength of the Hoffmann brand to the Indian market. The company now serves a wide range of industries—automotive, aerospace, defense, heavy engineering, and more—with high-quality German tooling solutions, modern digital services, and professional consultancy.

With over 28 years of leadership experience across the manufacturing, construction, and tooling sectors, Maanav brings deep expertise in business strategy, people leadership, and operational excellence. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering and is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kolkata.

Prior to joining Hoffmann, he held senior leadership roles at reputed global organizations including Halfen Moment India (SAARC), where he was Managing Director and part of the Asia Management Team and Board of Directors. His earlier experience includes leadership roles at Tyrolit India (part of the SWAROVSKI Group), Minaean Habitat, and Hilti India.

Maanav is passionate about delivering customer-centric value, nurturing strong stakeholder relationships, and empowering teams to drive performance. His vision is to position Hoffmann Group India as a benchmark for precision, reliability, and innovation in the industrial tooling space.

Mr. N. Ramachandran

Chairman

He is an Electronics graduate from the Madras Institute of Technology, Chennai and has completed his Management education from the IIFT School of International Management and the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University. He has also undergone a Management Development Program in International Trade Center, Geneva and attended the Duke of Edinburg Program for Future Leaders in Australia.


He has over 5 decades of experience in the Electronics Industry in varied capacities. He is now the Executive Chairman of MEL Systems and Services Ltd, a company engaged in Automation and Control, Defense Electronics and Automatic Test Equipment.


He has varied interests and is involved closely with the Alumni Associations of MIT and IIFT. He was a member of the Board of Governors of MIT. He is active in the Rotary movement. He is widely travelled and is active in the industry bodies like CII, ELCINA etc. He was the past President of ELCINA, Past Chairman of the Indo American Chamber of Commerce, Tamil Nadu and is a member of the National Council of IACC.


He is also a recipient of many awards including the Outstanding Alumnus Award from IIFT, Distinguished Alumnus Award from Anna University, Outstanding Rotary President of the year Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award in Electronics from ELCINA Electronics For You magazine and the Electronics Maker magazine.

Gilad Hassid

Vice President of Business Development

Gilad Hassid is the Vice President of Business Development at Scope Metals Trading and Services, a global leader in the supply of raw materials and value-added services for the Aerospace and Defense industries. Originally from Israel, he relocated to India in 2011, bringing with him a long career and extensive experience in sales and marketing. He later expanded his expertise into operations, serving as Vice President of Operations at a diamond technology company.

In 2024, Gilad joined Scope Group as Vice President of Business Development, relocating from Mumbai to Bangalore to drive the company’s growth in India. Under his leadership, Scope Metals India has established a bonded warehouse in Bangalore, enabling customers to access critical materials within 48 hours and strengthening the local Aerospace and Defense supply chain. Gilad offers deep insights into international business development, supply chain solutions, and the evolving needs of India’s Aerospace and Defense ecosystem.

Sanjay Gupta

Head of Marketing 

Mr. Sanjay Gupta, presently heading Marketing with AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) has over three decades of distinguished aviation experience. He holds an MBA in Finance from the Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi, and a B.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. He also possesses ‘B2’ Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence on the Airbus A320 family and is also an ISO 9001 certified Lead Auditor.

His career spans the complete spectrum of aviation operations and engineering. He was Vice president (Group Head for Fleet Induction and MIS) for Tata Air India between January 2022 and February 2024 during which he spearheaded the historic fleet induction program, notably leading to India’s first Airbus A350 aircraft induction. Thereafter, he joined as Chief Maintenance Manager of Trivandrum MRO and Head of Kerala Region. During his tenure Trivandrum MRO acquired prestigious EASA 145 and AS9110C accreditations.

Before this, between 2015 and 2022, he has worked closely with CEO, AIESL and with the three different CMDs of Pre-disinvested Air India as their Executive Assistant gaining comprehensive exposure to cross-functional airline operations, policy formulation, and government relations.

He has extensive experience of working in Quality and Line Maintenance and has been associated with several prestigious projects and received commendations for the same.

Lt General Karanbir Singh Brar PVSM, AVSM

(Retired)

The General Officer with a career spanning almost four decades has rich experience of serving in all terrain and operational areas across the spectrum of conflict with tenures in J&K, Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Rajasthan, Kutch and has served twice in UN Missions in Congo & South Sudan as Sector Commander commanding international troops, both most high risk mission.

He has led a delegation on UN Peacekeeping at Dhaka. As GOC of a Division, he led a Battle Group to a SCO Exercise in Russia on Air Land Battle in 2019. He was also part of Emergency Procurement Team to Russia post Uri attacks. And was also part of Trial Team of first  T-72 to Ladakh sector in 1987.

He was part of the team for inception of ADB. As Director General Armoured Corps, he was instrumental in initiating numerous projects and its fruition to include Light Tank, Swarm Drones, etc. As GOC DBA he created an Eco System for Def Capability Building getting Industry, Academia, startups etc to collaborate. As GOC Dakshin Bharat Area – Many Disaster Relief operations have been executed under his charter –Cyclone MICHAUNG, Cyclone FENGAL, Wayanad Landslides, Floods Tamilnadu, AP etc & conduct of EX AIKYA (On Disaster Management) with five southern states in collaboration with NDMA and all stakeholders.

The General Officer has has excelled in all courses of instruction to incl DSSC, Higher Air Command Course & NDC & two Master of Philosophies to his credit and has done three computer courses and is now pursuing PhD. He has been conferred with Presidential Awards of PVSM and AVSM. 

Post superannuation, he is a Distinguished Strategic Advisor with IIT Madras Research Park.

Air Marshal M Matheswaran AVSM VM PhD

(Veteran) Indian Air Force

Air Marshal M Matheswaran is an Indian Air Force veteran with 39 years of service. In his last appointment, he was the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (DCIDS – PP&FD) at HQ IDS in the Ministry of Defence from May 2012 until his retirement in March 2014. As DCIDS – PP & FD, he handled critical issues of ‘Policy, Plans, and Force Structure’ of the three Services and oversaw Acquisition Policies, Process, Technology Management, Defence Industry, and LTIPP (Long -Term Integrated Perspective Plans).

As an operational fighter pilot, he has flown over 3200 hours and over 40 types of aircraft in his career. He commanded a Jaguar fighter-strike squadron. Later, as Air Commodore, he commanded India’s prestigious flight test centre – ASTE (Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment). He is an alumnus of the Indian Air Force’s Fighter Weapons School, TACDE (Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment), and was its Deputy Commandant. His experience in combining Flight Testing and Operational experiences allowed him to play significant role in aerospace research and development projects, and acquisition processes for the Air Force and the MOD. His study reports on Tejas, Kaveri Engine, LRSAM, UAV Tech Scan, ATGM, and EW systems have contributed to major decisions by the IAF, MOD, and the GOI.

As an experienced fighter pilot and Test Pilot, the Air Marshal has had extensive experience in dealing with Defence Strategy, Research & Development, Space Strategy, and EW and Information Warfare. He has pursued keen interest in academics’ research in National Security and Strategic Studies. He holds a PhD in ‘Defence & Strategic Studies’ from the University of Madras, a Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Management from IGNOU, and a Senior Fellowship in International and National Security from Harvard University’s John F Kennedy School of Governance. He is an alumnus of the National Defence College, New Delhi and the DSSC, Wellington, Nilgiris. 

Post retirement, he advised Chairman, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd at Bangalore in 2014-15, served as President, Aerospace Business with Reliance Group at Mumbai in 2015-16, and subsequently as Strategic Advisor to CMD, CYIENT Group in Hyderabad during 2016-2020. From 2014 to 2017 he was Senior Advisor & Mentor to ‘Aerospace and Defence Task Group’ of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry). He is a life member of the Aeronautical Society of India. 

He is a life member and was an Executive Council Member of IDSA (Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis, now renamed as Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis) from 2014 to 2018. He is a life member of USI and is an active member in International Studies Association (ISA), and International Political Science Association (IPSA).

The Air Marshal is the Founder Chairman & President of ‘The Peninsula Foundation (TPF)’, a public-policy research thinktank based in Chennai.

The Air Marshal is a recipient of Presidential awards – AVSM (Ati Visisht Seva Medal) and VM (Vayu Sena Medal), and commendation by the Chief of Air Staff.

Commodore (Dr) Arun Pratap Golaya (Retd), VSM

Former Naval Officer

Cmde (Dr) Arun Golaya – a former Naval officer – has held many important assignments while in the Navy including an eight-year extended tenure at the National Security Council Secretariat (2012-2020) where he worked with all the Wings of the Secretariat and was a part of the Technology Wing when it was set up. The
officer founded the Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) under the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) and is best known for spearheading the ‘SPRINT’ initiative.

The Rashtriya Raksha University, Gujarat has conferred on the officer the honorary designation of ‘Chief Advisor Defence Innovation’ and has referred to him as “the genius behind accelerating Naval innovations”. The officer was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for distinguished service in 2012.

Lieutenant General PJS PANNU, PVSM, AVSM,VSM

Former Deputy Cheif of Indian Integrated Defence Staff

  1. Lieutenant General PJS Pannu, a second generation officer, is the former Deputy Chief of Indian Integrated Defence Staff. He joined the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun after graduation in commerce (honours) and was commissioned into the 22 MARATHA Light Infantry on 13 Dec 1980.
  2. He, an alumni of the Defence Services Staff College Wellington is holder of M.Sc (Defence Studies) degree from the Chennai University. He also has two M.Phils from Army War College and National Defence College, Delhi. He has done all important Military Courses to include Higher Command Course from Army War College and Combat Engineering Course from CME, Pune.
  3. He is PhD in Business Management with his thesis on Indigenisation of Defence Industry. He is an alumnus of prestigious ISB (Indian School of Business) Hyderabad, having attended courses on 21st century Leadership and Strategic Thinking. He is an alumnus of ISAC – certified as the National Cyber Scholar.
  4. He was an instructor at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. Has an immense experience in Military Operations with three tenures in the Apex level Military Operations Branch of Army Head Quarters. As the Director Perspective Planning, he dealt with the Budgets, future Plans and the Force Structuring of the Armed Forces. He held an appointment Colonel Military Secretary and head of the HR of a Strike Corps and Deputy Military Assistant to Chief of Army Staff.
  5. He commanded his Battalion and an Infantry Brigade in Uri Sector on the Line of Control. He has commanded an Infantry Division on the Line of Actual Control with China and commanded the Corps deployed in two fronts (Pakistan and China together) and the highest battle field of the world.
  6. He has also served in two foreign missions in a multi-national force environment under the United Nations in Mozambique and Sudan as Chiefs of Operations in both Missions.
  7. Lieutenant General PJS Pannu, was responsible for the Tri Services Doctrine, Organisation and Training requirements. He also responsible of smooth functioning of the premier training institutions like the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, College of Defence Management, Military Institute of Technology and School of Foreign Languages. He dealt with the major issues related to training and skill development in the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force).
  8. He was the Chairman of the Executive Committee of Think Tank Organisations such as United Services Institute, New Delhi and Centre for Joint Warfare Studies at New Delhi. These think tanks have been providing National level inputs to the Government on issues relating to National Security.
  9. The General Officer has been the Chairman of the Project Monitoring Team of the recently dedicated National War Memorial at New Delhi which was completed in a record time and inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India in Feb 19.
  10. As Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) he was entrusted with a distinguished task of the raising of three premiere defence agencies; Defence Space Agency (DSA), Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA) and the Armed Forces Special Operations Division (AFSOD) special operations. He conducted two major national level exercises i.e CyberEx and IndspaceEx (first of its kind in India). In addition to the above, the General officer was responsible for the tri-services operational issues through the Joint Operations Division and Information Communication Technology Division.
  11. The Joint Operations Division under him was responsible for formulation of RM’s (Defence Minister) Operational Directive, planning and conduct of joint operations and joint exercises with the friendly foreign countries, acts as the central entity for amphibious training, joint logistics, handling all Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations on behalf of the armed forces.
  12. The General Officer was the convenor of Defence IT Consultative Committee which is an apex body at MoD to handle all tri-services ICT issues. The ICT Division under him is responsible for undertaking research and development in the field of space, execute joint communications, network enabling operations and coordinating spectrum, Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) and EM related activities.
  13. The General Officer is a regular speaker at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Administrative Academy, Mussoorie. He has been a distinguished speaker Global Dialogue Review Summit, Def Expo, CEERI (Centre for Electronics and Engineering Research Institute), CENJOWS, Tri -Services Seminars and Armed Forces Training Institutions like Defence Services Staff College, College of Defence Management, Military Institute of Technology, National Defence Academy, College of Military Engineering, Amity University, DRDO to name a few. The General officer is passionate about technology.
  14. For his distinguished services of an exceptionally high order he was decorated with the Presidential awards of PARAM VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL and ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL. He was also awarded with VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL and the COAS Commendation Card. He was the head of the Maratha LI Regiment of the Indian Army for over five years.
  15. He is currently the FICCI Chairperson of task force on ICT modernisation for Defence. AICRA Chair for Steering committee of AI for Defence and Chairperson for Satcom Industries Association (SIA). He is a distinguished fellow of USI, He has co-authored a book titled ’The Power of future Machines’ and authored many publications on Defence Technology. He is head of the Military History and Strategy Vertical of the Valley of Words, an international Literature fest organisation.
  16. He is an advisor and on Board of a few companies that deal with innovations and future technologies. He is working on the future concept of Mosaic Warfare in coordination with Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO).

Ms Silai Zaki

Consul-General

Ms Silai Zaki is Australia’s Consul-General based in Chennai. She is responsible for strengthening bilateral relations and trade and investment ties between Australia and India in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh and the Union Territories of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry. Chennai Post will be taking on the state of Odisha (subject to Indian Government approval). She was appointed to the role in January 2024.

Ms Zaki is a career officer with the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and has previously served in Spain with short-term deployments in Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia. She has also been an Adviser to the former Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, and the Minister for Home Affairs.

Ms Zaki is a lawyer by profession and has worked at two top-tier law firms in Sydney. Ms Zaki holds a Master of Laws (International Law) from the Australian National University and a Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Laws from Macquarie University.