defenceWeb Written by Guy Martin - 805 The National Defence Industry Council (NDIC) has updated Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD) on its initiatives, from small arms manufacturing to alternative funding models, that will help the struggling South African defence industry. The NDIC was launched by the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula in March 2016, with the Council chaired by the Secretary for Defence. The NDIC consists of senior government officials, captains of industry and the South African Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association (AMD). It has been tasked with developing a Defence Industry Strategy and a plan for implementation to develop and transform the industry. The NDIC originates from an appreciation that the local defence industry cannot exist and develop effectively on its own without the targeted support and direction of government.