Project SAMPOORNA and Financial Reforms Dominate IFA 2025 Deliberations
Financial Advisor (Defence Services) S.G. Dastidar highlights financial power delegation and security challenges
BNH NETWORK
Highlights:
- IFA 2025 Conference kicks off in Hampi with top defence finance officials.
- Discussions on financial power delegation, defence modernization, and security challenges.
- Project SAMPOORNA: AI-driven automation and data analytics to transform defence finance.
- Three major sessions focus on procurement, MES financial systems, and special financial powers.
- Call for increased transparency, standardization, and digital governance in defence finance.
Hampi, Karnataka: The Integrated Financial Advisor (IFA) Conference 2025 was inaugurated today in the historic city of Hampi, bringing together senior officials from the Ministry of Defence (Finance), the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), and the broader defence accounts community. The two-day conference, aimed at strengthening financial governance in defence, began with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony.
Legacy, Challenges, and Strategic Vision
Addressing the gathering, Financial Advisor (Defence Services) Shri S.G. Dastidar, IDAS, reflected on the 275-year legacy of the department, highlighting the expanding role of the IFA system amidst rising security challenges. He emphasized the delegation of financial powers to Service Headquarters and the critical need for procedural standardization and information integration between Integrated Financial Advisors (IFAs) and Controllers of Defence Accounts (CDAs).
Discussing the global security landscape, Dastidar linked financial reforms to India's defence modernization drive, citing regional instability, collusive threats, and disruptions from global conflicts, including the Ukraine war and West Asian tensions.
Technological Integration and the ‘Year of Reforms 2025’
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Mayank Sharma, IDAS, CGDA, underscored the growing complexity of defence finance in an evolving geopolitical environment. He introduced Project SAMPOORNA, a pioneering initiative integrating automation, AI-driven data analytics, and machine learning-driven MIS (Management Information Systems).
Dr. Sharma linked this initiative to the Raksha Mantri’s vision for the ‘Year of Reforms 2025’, emphasizing a paradigm shift in financial decision-making by incorporating economic principles. He urged financial advisors to remain agile and technologically empowered to meet the demands of modern warfare.
Call for Reform and Strategic Collaboration
In his welcome address, Shri Vishvajit Sahay, Additional CGDA, stressed the conference’s role in fostering deep financial reform deliberations. He called for comprehensive internal reviews, pragmatic solutions, and public trust-building in financial advisory roles.
In the vote of thanks, Smt. Shivalli Chouhan, IDAS, Jt. CGDA (Finance), acknowledged the tireless efforts of Smt. Swarnashree Rao Rajashekar, IDAS, CDA (R&D) Bengaluru, in organizing the event at short notice.
Key Business Sessions
The first day of IFA Conference 2025 featured three critical business sessions, focusing on finance-driven operational efficiency in defence.
Optimizing Defence Capital Acquisition
- Experts emphasized faster approvals, improved costing mechanisms, and enhanced private sector engagement.
- Discussion revolved around real-time dashboards and cost transparency frameworks to streamline procurement.
IFA System in Military Engineer Services (MES)
- Key deliberations included aligning financial manuals with Ministry of Finance (MoF) guidelines and enhancing IFA involvement in core projects.
- Strategies were explored for bridging coordination gaps between engineers and financial advisors.
Challenges in Army Commander’s Special Financial Powers (ACSFP)
- Discussions focused on overlaps between revenue and capital allocations and the absence of standardized SOPs.
- Experts recommended centralized procurement data repositories and updated frameworks aligning with operational needs.
Towards a New Era of Defence Finance & Economics
The conference saw wide participation from Principal Integrated Financial Advisors (PIFAs), IFAs, and senior defence officials. Discussions centered on strengthening financial governance through reform-driven strategies, innovation, and data-driven decision-making.
As defence finance transitions into a broader financial-economic framework, IFA 2025 underscores the importance of automation, standardization, and strategic collaboration in shaping India's defence financial future.
