• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has handed over the Authority Holding Sealed Particulars (AHSP) of Nipun munition to the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA).

• Authority Holding Sealed Particulars (AHSP) is responsible for holding of sealed particulars and patterns and supply of certified copies of drawings or specifications in respect of items or range of items for which it is designated as AHSP.

• The handing over of the AHSP took place at Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pashan, Pune.

• Nipun is a soft-target munition designed and developed by the ARDE in association with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune.

• After the successful completion of General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQR)-based evaluation, Nipun munition has been inducted into the Indian Army.

• Two Indian private industries namely Economic Explosives Ltd (EEL), Nagpur, and Premier Explosives Ltd (PEL), Secunderabad, have absorbed the technology from the DRDO. Both the industries have currently undertaken the bulk production against a purchase order from the Indian Army.

Directorate General of Quality Assurance

• DGQA traces its roots to the Inspectorate of Armaments established in  Ammunition Factory, Kirkee in 1869. 

• With the transformation in portfolio of Weapons & Equipments, the Organisation has undergone many changes over the decades.

• The organisation came into its present form in 1957 when Maj Gen Pratap Narain was appointed as the first Director General on September 27, 1957. 

• Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) is an inter-service organisation functioning under the Department of Defence Production in the ministry of defence. 

• DGQA is responsible for quality assurance of all defence stores and equipment, both imported as well as indigenous for the Army, Navy (excluding Naval Armaments) and common user items for the Air Force procured from the private sector, public sector undertakings and ordnance factories.

• Apart from quality assurance activities, the organisation is responsible for import substitution and associates with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in the development projects. 

• It also ensures documentation, codification and standardisation action for minimising the variety of components/equipments. 

• The other services rendered are promotion of small scale industries, post-procurement services, defect investigations and technical consultancy to the users, ministry and the production agencies.

Re-organisation of DGQA

• With the corporatisation of ordnance factories into new DPSUs, increased participation of private defence industry and impetus by the government towards indigenisation, a need was felt to reorganise DGQA for an effective and efficient support to emerging defence manufacturing industry.

• The DGQA has already been steering various organisational and functional reforms after active discussions with all stakeholders in the defence manufacturing ecosystem.

• The new structure under implementation will enable single-point technical support for complete equipment/weapon platforms at all levels and also ensure uniformity in product-based quality assurance.

• The new structure also provides for a separate Directorate of Defence Testing and Evaluation Promotion to facilitate transparent allocation of Proof Ranges and testing facilities.

• This arrangement coupled with automation and digitisation of standardised quality assurance processes is likely to significantly improve the engagement of defence industry with DGQA.

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