Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the Controllers’ Conference 2025, hosted by the Defence Accounts Department (DAD), on July 7 at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi. The three-day conference, from July 7 to 9, will bring together India’s top defence and financial leadership to chart the future of defence financial governance.
This year’s theme, “Transforming Financial Advice, Payment, Audit and Accounting through Defence Finance and Economics”, marks a strategic shift positioning DAD as a future-ready institution focused on national defence and economic resilience. The department’s new Mission Statement and Motto – ‘Alert, Agile, Adaptive’ – will also be unveiled during the event, said the Defence Ministry.
Eight high-level business sessions or Manan Satras will address key areas including budget reform, audit restructuring, pricing innovation, and capacity building. These discussions aim to redefine the role of Integrated Financial Advisors (IFAs) in fostering fiscal discipline while supporting a competitive and self-reliant defence industry.
Managing a defence budget of Rs 26.8 lakh crore – including Rs 1.7 lakh crore for pensions – DAD plays a vital role in disbursements, procurement pricing, auditing, and strategic advisory. Recent digital reforms such as SAMPURNA, SPARSH, e-Raksha Awaas, and AI-based procurement systems have enhanced transparency and service delivery across the defence finance ecosystem.
With 206 outreach programs and over 200 service centres established in the past year, DAD is strengthening last-mile connectivity and stakeholder engagement. Training institutions like NADFM Pune and CENTRAD Delhi are also pioneering officer education in defence economics and data analytics.
Aligned with the Ministry of Defence’s declaration of 2025 as the Year of Reform, the Controllers’ Conference is expected to yield actionable outcomes aimed at building a smarter, more agile defence financial architecture – one that aligns with the goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat and strengthens India’s long-term national security.
Key dignitaries attending the event include Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, the three service chiefs, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Financial Adviser (Defence Services) S G Dastidar, and Controller General of Defence Accounts Dr Mayank Sharma.
