IICA and DGR conclude third batch of certification program for senior defence officers

The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs in partnership with the Directorate General Resettlement, Ministry of Defence concluded the third batch of its Directors’ Certification program in Corporate Governance for Defence Officers on 21st November 2025 at the IICA Campus in Manesar, Gurugram. The two-week program trained 30 senior officers, both serving and recently superannuated, representing all three services. With this batch, a total of 90 defence officers have been trained across three batches conducted since August 2024.

Addresses by dignitaries

The valedictory ceremony featured addresses from senior dignitaries. The DG and CEO, IICA, Shri Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, delivered the welcome address. The inaugural address was delivered by Dr. K P Krishnan, former Secretary, Government of India, Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, and currently Distinguished Fellow at the Isaac Centre for Public Policy at Ashoka University. The keynote address was presented by Smt. Sukriti Likhi, Secretary, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence.

Highlights from the welcome address

In the welcome address, the DG and CEO congratulated the participants on completing the intensive two-week program that included 35 specialized sessions covering corporate governance frameworks, regulatory provisions, financial stewardship, audit committee functions, enterprise risk management, CSR, and sustainable governance. He emphasized the alignment between military strengths and competencies required for independent directorship roles. He noted that strategic thinking, risk assessment experience, ethical grounding, and the ability to remain objective under pressure equip defence officers to serve as impartial voices in corporate boardrooms. He recognized the ongoing partnership with DGR and reiterated IICA’s commitment to supporting participants through continued education and networking.

Insights from the inaugural address

Dr. K P Krishnan outlined the fundamental principles of corporate governance and the responsibilities of independent directors. He explained that independent directors act as protectors of individuals such as minority shareholders and stakeholders who do not have representation in decision-making processes. He noted that the role involves fiduciary duties where balancing interests is central. Participants were reminded that their decades of experience in managing people and resources to achieve balanced outcomes directly supports their transition into independent directorship roles.

Keynote address by Secretary ESW

The Secretary ESW highlighted the ongoing engagement between IICA and DGR in creating avenues for defence personnel to apply their leadership experience in the corporate sector. Her remarks offered participants practical insights into the governance landscape and the opportunities available to defence officers entering corporate roles. She underscored the significance of this collaboration in meeting the demand for ethical and capable board members in Indian corporates while leveraging the unique experience of defence personnel.

Program structure and learning modules

The two-week program aimed to provide participants with conceptual and regulatory knowledge of corporate governance to prepare them for board roles in public and private sector companies. The curriculum included corporate governance principles, board structures, roles of independent directors, regulatory frameworks under the Companies Act 2013 and SEBI LODR regulations, financial statement analysis, audit committee functions, enterprise risk management, corporate social responsibility, and ESG considerations.

The training used classroom lectures by subject experts, case studies, interactive sessions with independent directors, and experiential learning. Sessions focused on bridging the gap between military and corporate environments through exposure to practitioner experiences, independent director role evolution, and insights from leadership in corporate and public sector organizations. Completion of the certification enables participants to register with the Independent Directors’ Databank, a Ministry of Corporate Affairs initiative managed by IICA, which includes over 35,000 registered independent directors, more than 10,000 of whom are women, and over 3,600 registered companies.

Program coordination

The program proceedings were conducted and coordinated by Dr. Niraj Gupta, Head, School of Corporate Governance and Public Policy, IICA, and Dr. Anindita Chakrabarti, Principal Research Associate, Centre for Independent Director Secretariat, IICA.