IFA Conference 2025 Concludes in Hampi with Strong Emphasis on Innovation, Integration, and Institutional Strengthening
Bengaluru. The two-day IFA Conference 2025, organized by the Ministry of Defence (Finance), concluded on April 4 at Hampi, Karnataka, with a firm resolve to reinforce innovation, data-driven intervention, and strategic synergy within the financial architecture of the defence establishment. The conference was particularly significant as it aligned with the Ministry of Defence’s call to observe 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’, aimed at transforming the Armed Forces into a technologically advanced, combat-ready force.
Delivering the valedictory address, Mr. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary, lauded the role of Integrated Financial Advisors (IFAs) as crucial enablers of transparency, accountability, and responsiveness in defence financial systems. He emphasized the need to strengthen outcome-oriented mechanisms, promote emerging technologies, and foster collaboration across departments for greater operational efficiency. The Defence Secretary also highlighted the significance of Project SAMPŪRṆA, which aims to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Data Science into financial management, ushering in a new era of automation and efficiency.
Further, he emphasized on the Defence Minister directive to Defence Accounts Department to emerge into a Centre of Excellence in Defence Finance & Economics, requiring a strategic shift towards research-driven policy inputs, deeper engagement in cost-benefit analysis of defence procurements, and the adoption of AI-driven financial analytics. He also highlighted that the department is keen on leveraging Project SAMPŪRṆA to build a modern, agile, and transparent financial ecosystem for the Armed Forces.
Welcoming the Defence Secretary to the valedictory session, Dr Mayank Sharma, IDAS, Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) underlined the department’s 277-year-long evolution from a paymaster role to becoming the financial management specialist cadre of the Ministry of Defence. He reaffirmed the department’s commitment to Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047’ and the development of Aatmanirbhar Armed Forces.
The conference reaffirmed the Defence Accounts Department’s commitment to strengthening financial governance, fiscal prudence, and strategic decision-making within the Ministry of Defence. Both the Defence Secretary and CGDA called for deeper collaborations with academic institutions, think tanks, and international organizations to bring in global best practices in defence financial management.
The conference concluded with a collective commitment to translating policy insights into actionable reforms, further strengthening the role of IFAs as strategic financial partners to the Armed Forces. The event was widely appreciated for its depth of discussion, clarity of recommendations, and proactive participation of all stakeholders.
