Defence Vendor Registration for OEM - Process, Fees & Documents

These are the following documents that are needed to be attached for Wholesale drug license application.

Part I: Administrative and Financial

• CA-certified turnover for the past two years (only one year for startups)
• Audited balance sheets and statements of profit and loss
• Proof of category MSME/Large Scale/Startup
• Certificates: ISO 9001:2015/AS9100/IATF 16949 (if available)
• Factory ownership proof or registered lease agreement
• Factory layout plan with dimensions
• GST and PAN certificates with IT return proof
• Factory license, plus any other licenses under the regulatory system
• Most recent electricity bill and pollution clearance certificate
• Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)

Part II: Technical

• Process flow chart - stepwise manufacturing with machines and manpower indicated
• Monthly Production Capacity (MPC) preparation with bottleneck identification
• Details of the sub-contractor, plus MoU copies on stamp paper

Note: Fees once paid will not be refunded. Besides, GST is to be paid separately on a reverse charge basis. The renewal fee is not charged in cases where there is no assessment visit. The registration fee will be forfeited if the applicant firm fails to submit a complete Appendix A application within 45 days of the initial submission date.

Note: The professional fees Professional Utilities charge for defence vendor registration are 2 lakh + 18% GST = ₹2,36,000.

Defence vendor registration is the process by which OEMs, system integrators, service providers, including software, and suppliers are formally assessed and authorised. This is to supply equipment to the systems and subsystems of Indian defence forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and other MoD agencies). The registration of a company is made through JSG 015:2025, issued by the Directorate of Standardisation. This process confirms that only technically competent and financially stable organisations are allowed to join the defence supply chain. Registering as a defence vendor under JSG 015 serves three core purposes:

• Identify manufacturers who have the capabilities and quality systems to produce defence stores as per the specifications for supply.
• Keep the registrations of defence procurement firms that are already renewed through the continuation of their registration.
• Getting the message to the Order Placing Authorities (OPAs) about a manufacturer’s registration status before the placement of contracts.

Note: The following are kept outside the scope of registration: items procured through the capital route, COTS items, and noncritical/non-core items identified by the government of QA agencies.India’s three-tier defence procurement authorities are GFR, DPM 2009, and JSG 015, respectively. JSG is the tactical guide. Refer to the Ministry of Defence website for new policy changes.

In order for an organisation to supply the Indian defence forces with goods, components, equipment, or services, it must undergo defence vendor registration. According to their infrastructure and capabilities, manufacturers can be registered in various categories for one or more activities such as design, development, and production. The categories are:

• Design, Development & Production (DDP)
  Manufacturers who have design capability and infrastructure for R&D apart from manufacturing capability, covering all requirements of a quality system, will be registered for all three capabilities and categorised as DDP.
• Development & Production (DP)
  Manufacturers with the capability for development and bulk manufacture only but who do not have infrastructure for design, i.e., conversion of a concept into an engineering design, will be categorised as DP.
• Production (P)
  All other manufacturers having only production facilities for converting defence into hardware or end stores, or those capable of specified processes like fabrication casting, machining, etc., will be categorised as P.

Grading is done based on the Manufacturer Quality Survey Report (MQSR) and two different evaluations.

Part I QMS Assessment: Looks at the company's alignment with ISO 9001:2015. Companies with valid ISO 9001:2015, AS9100, ISO 13485, or IATF 16949 certificates are exempted. Others must get at least a 70% score to continue to Part II.

Part II Product-Specific Assessment: Looks at plant personnel quality control, testing equipment, and the bond room.

Registration Categories:

• DDP: Design, Development & Production
• DP: Development & Production
• P: Production only

The certificate mentions the category - for example, "LS-DDP-Grade I" stands for Large Scale, full DDP capability, Grade I.

Key Renewal Rules:

• The application should be sent 60 days before expiry.
• Renewal to be completed within 45 days of receipt of complete documents. Renewal authority: RQAE/Registering Authority.
• If there is no change, self-declaration (Appendix G), no visit, and no fee.
• If changes are present, a new Appendix A + payment of the fee as applicable.
• Only one-time renewal without a visit is allowed.
• Missing the deadline: automatic removal from the compendium; no show cause will be issued.

JSG 015:2025 specifies that MPC can be revised per shift during the period of the registration validity. To support their application, the manufacturer must submit Appendix A and the associated registration fee. Upon reassessment and within 45 days of receipt of the complete documents, a revised MPC is issued.

General Eligibility

Registering as a defence vendor with JSG 015:2025 criteria calls for meeting some basic conditions of a manufacturing business

• At least two years of manufacturing experience in the relevant industry, counting from the date of application
• Production line for the item(s) for which registration is being sought should be live
• Enough plant machinery quality management system, and financial capability

Relaxation for DPIIT-Registered Start-ups

Defence vendor registration for DPIIT-registered startups is possible without the two-year experience requirement. Though the firm should have:

• Adequate plant and machinery for the item specified
• Financial statements audited for at least one year

Details on the criteria for recognition as a startup are available at the DPIIT Startup India portal.

Who is NOT Eligible

• Traders, dealers, stockists, and independent agents
• Sick industrial units as defined under the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act 2013
• Firms blacklisted or banned by the Government of India or any competent authority
• LLP firms

Value Addition - Special Cases

Manufacturers not starting from raw material can still qualify if their activities lead to value addition. What comes next to qualify:

• Metal sheet fabricators (ferrous or non-ferrous)
• Grey cloth is processed into finished fabric
• Hardware and software integration for producing sub-systems
• Assemblies with their own designed hardware to interface with larger systems

NCAGE stands for NATO Commercial and Governmental Entity Code, and it is a unique 5-character identifier. It is a must-have for all defence vendor registrations under DAP 2020. It is not possible to generate an NSN without having an NCAGE, and NSN codification is now aligned with the defence procurement process.

How to apply:

• Method 1 (Preferred): ddpdos.gov.in/form/ncage-form
• Method 2: NSPA Portal

Every completed supply order is rated through the Supplier Rating (SR) system.

SR = 60 (QR) + 30 (DR) + (ER) / 100

A Composite Supplier Rating (CSR) below 60%, the three-year average, triggers removal from the compendium.

The compendium of registered manufacturers is no longer a printed publication, as it has been replaced by an online vendor database. It is now available on the website of all government QA agencies. This database is kept up-to-date on a continuing basis by the respective QA agency/RQAE.

Recently, the MoD changed the procurement preferences criteria to include ZED-D (Zero Defect Zero Effect Defence) maturity ratings. Companies with better ZED_D scores will have more chances of winning tender bids, mainly MSMEs. ZED-D is a comprehensive tool that focuses on design control, process capability, and defect reduction with the help of the agencies which are approved by QCI. A Grade I DGQA certificate plus a ZED-D rating will give a very good supplier profile.

Professional Utilities is able to provide complete ZED-D support:

• Identifying missing elements for your product category
• Making plans for corrective actions and preparing documentation for QCI submission.
• Carrying out pre-assessment mock reviews before the official visit.

MoD is offering financial assistance for ZED-D consulting, in particular for MSMEs. Contact our staff to learn about your company's current situation and the requirements to reach a higher level.

The Government e-Marketplace (briefly GeM) is already the main platform for most of the MoD suborders. DGQA registration and GeM listing are two different things. If you do not do the second one, you will lose orders.

Professional Utilities is managing both simultaneously. What it includes:

• Complete DGQA registration guidance documents, process charts, MPC, and application submission.
• GeM seller registration, business profile, product catalog, and category mapping.
• Connecting your DGQA certificate to your GeM profile for bid eligibility.
• GeM compliance counseling: OEM declaration, brand listing, and pricing norms.

If you are DGQA-registered but not on GeM, the add-on can be done separately.

Your Supplier Rating (SR) is assessed each time you place a supply order. A decrease in your SR might cause removal from the compendium if your three-year composite supplier rating falls below 60%.

While most vendors are focused on getting registered, fewer are concerned about maintaining a high rating. That's where the gap lies.

Professional Utilities' SR Improvement Programme handles all three scoring components:

• QR (60%) includes pre-supply QMS audit preparation and consignee rejection analysis
• DR (30%) covers delivery planning and dispatch documentation aligned to contract terms.
• ER (10%) involves QA correspondence, coordination, and post-supply reporting.

In addition, we conduct regular supplier rating health checks by looking at your last three years and identifying the risks for the next cycle.

Defence vendor registration process under JSG 015:2025 is a stepwise journey comprising multiple stages like obtaining an NCAGE code, documenting assessment visits, grading, and continuous supplier rating updates. At every stage, there are stringent time limits, particular sets of documents, and evaluation standards that can have a decisive impact on the result of your registration.

Professional Utilities is highly proficient in providing complete defence vendor registration assistance to our clients, making sure that your registration is accurate, fellows the rules, and ready for Grade I certification. The team here has been directly involved with the registration processes of DGQA, DGAQA, and DGNAI for all manufacturer types - DDP, DP, and P.

Here is what we can do for you:

• Complete preparation of documents as outlined in Appendix and Appendix B of JSG 015:2025
• Application for NCAGE code and subsequent tracking
• MQSR capabilities evaluation and pre-visit rehearsals
• GeM seller registration and providing a DGQA profile to GeM link
• ZED-D maturity evaluation and assistance in QCI submission
• SUpplier Rating (SR) enhancement plan encompassing QR, DR, and ER aspects
• Renewal handling coupled with alerting 60 days before the expiration

You can be a large-scale manufacturer, an MSME, a DPIIT-registered startup, or entering the defence supply chain for the first time. We are here you to provide you with a well-organised, target-oriented way for registration.