Ministry of Defence Production (Pakistan)

The Ministry of Defence Production (Trans.: Wazarat-e-Defai Padawar) abbreviated as MoDP, is an executive ministry of the federal Government of Pakistan with objectives of development and production of ordnance and machinery for the Pakistan Armed Forces.

Established as a separate ministry from its parent agency, Ministry of Defence in 2004, the MoDP oversees the development of conventional military weapons system through its separately funded organizations.

Organizational structure
The Ministry of Defence Production is headed by Minister of Defence Production who is an elected member of parliament. The minister of defense production is assisted by the secretary of defense production—a usually a military officer. The MoDP is located in the vicinity of Ministry of Defense in Rawalpindi.

The ministry's bureaucracy is split into three wings, administration, projects, and foreign collaboration, each overseen by an assistant secretary.

History
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) established the "Directorate for General Supply and Development (DG&D) in 1947; it was reorganized as "Defense Purchase Directorate" in 1953.

After the war with India in 1965, the MoD took initiatives to increase domestic production of ordnance for the Pakistani military, and the "Defence Production Division" was established in 1972. Between 1970s–80, the assistance provided by China, France and Sweden, the MoD was able to established the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) for army, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) for the air force, and expanded the work scope of the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works for the navy.

In a view of export control of weapon designs and ammunition's production in 2004, the Division was separated from the MoD and was established as "Ministry of Defence Production."

Development agencies
The Ministry of Defence Productions owns and sponsors five major organizations that includes Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT), Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW), Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF), and National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC); though the corporate leadership is provided by the Pakistani military.

The Research and Development Establishment (RDE) is a research and development (R&D) administration within the MoDP created in 2020 after merging three research installations – the Institute of Optronics (IOP), Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and Military Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (MVRDE) dedicated for weapons development for the military.

Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO), Directorate General Munition Production and Directorate General Defence Purchase are other three major agencies that oversee the national security related technological development and export control of its designs and products within MoDP.

Sponsorships
The MoDP is the official sponsor of International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) through its agency, the Defence Export Promotion Organization, since 2002. The IDEAS conference is held in Karachi Expo Centre biennially.