Bengaluru: The Integrated Financial Advisor (IFA) Conference 2025 began in Hampi, Karnataka, with senior officials from the Ministry of Defence (Finance) and the defence accounts department participating in discussions on financial governance and policy reforms.

S.G. Dastidar, Financial Advisor (Defence Services), inaugurated the two-day event, highlighting the role of the IFA system in enhancing financial oversight and supporting the operational capabilities of the armed forces. He spoke about the increasing delegation of financial powers to the Service Headquarters and addressed challenges posed by external threats and global conflicts.

In his keynote address, Mayank Sharma, Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), emphasized the growing complexity of financial advisory roles. He outlined initiatives under Project SAMPOORNA, aimed at integrating automation, data analytics, and machine learning to streamline financial processes. He also stressed the importance of incorporating economic principles into defence finance.

Additional CGDA Vishvajit Sahay, in his welcome address, called for internal reviews and pragmatic solutions to improve the defence financial framework. He also discussed measures to enhance the public perception of financial advisory functions.

The first day of the conference included three business sessions focusing on:

Capital Acquisition in Defence – Discussions covered the need for timely approvals, improved cost assessments, and better private sector engagement.

IFA System in Military Engineer Services (MES) – Participants examined ways to align financial procedures with Ministry of Finance guidelines and strengthen coordination between engineering and financial authorities.

Army Commander’s Special Financial Powers (ACSFP) – Issues such as revenue-capital overlap and procurement standardisation were discussed, with proposals for centralised data repositories and updated procurement frameworks.

The conference saw participation from principal integrated financial advisors, IFAs, and senior defence officials. The discussions focused on policy reforms and technological integration to enhance financial governance in defence services.