Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the ‘Controllers’ Conference 2025’ on Monday, a pivotal three-day conclave hosted by the Defence Accounts Department (DAD) at DRDO Bhawan in Delhi. The conference, scheduled from July 7 to 9, aims to address key challenges, drive institutional reforms, and enhance the role of financial governance in India’s defence preparedness.
The inaugural session will witness the presence of 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 Mayank Sharma. Together, they will help chart the future trajectory of India’s defence financial ecosystem.
This year’s theme, ‘Transforming Financial Advice, Payment, Audit and Accounting through Defence Finance and Economics,’ marks a strategic shift in the DAD’s role—from a traditional finance and accounts body to a modern, future-ready institution aligned with national security goals.
The conclave will feature eight high-level business sessions, called ‘Manan Satras’, covering diverse topics including budget reforms, internal audit restructuring, collaborative research, procurement pricing, and capacity building. The sessions will also explore the evolving role of Integrated Financial Advisors (IFAs) in supporting a competitive and self-reliant defence industry.
A new mission statement and motto for the DAD—‘Alert, Agile, Adaptive’—will be officially launched during the event, reinforcing the department’s renewed vision of accountability and innovation.
Managing a defence budget of ₹26.8 lakh crore, including ₹1.7 lakh crore allocated for pensions, the DAD plays a crucial role in areas such as payroll, pension disbursement, audit, and strategic financial advisory. Since the last edition of the conference, the department has held 206 outreach programmes and set up over 200 service centres to improve stakeholder engagement and last-mile delivery.
The DAD’s audit capabilities are being transformed into advanced Management Information Systems (MIS), enabling early risk detection, benchmarking, and decision support.
As the Ministry of Defence observes 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms,’ the conference is expected to yield actionable outcomes that will bolster India’s defence financial framework. The discussions aim to lay a resilient fiscal foundation for India’s long-term security strategy while promoting Atmanirbhar Bharat and enhancing governance through streamlined systems.
