National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India Ltd. (NCDFI) and the Indian Army reiterated their commitment to strengthening cooperation to support local milk procurement, processing and cold-chain management through the dairy cooperative network. “This unique four-decade old Dairy Cooperative-Defence partnership delivers benefits to all stakeholders — defence establishments gain dependable supplies and resilient local supply chains; cooperatives secure assured institutional markets and better utilisation of infrastructure; and dairy farmers access wider markets with regular income,” said Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NCDFI, who also heads the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
Commending the cooperatives for strengthening milk procurement, processing, cold storage and supply-chain systems in border and North-Eastern regions, Dr Shah said every additional litre supplied brings dairy farmers and personnel serving the nation closer together. He was speaking at the “Cooperative Conclave on Dairy-Defence Partnership” in Anand (Gujarat). The Conclave recognised the contribution of dairy cooperatives supplying quality milk and milk products to Defence establishments, particularly in remote, border and high-altitude areas.
Speaking on the occasion, Lt General Mukesh Chadha, Director General of Supplies and Transport (DGST), Indian Army, appreciated NCDFI and its member cooperatives for ensuring reliable supplies to troops in difficult terrains, and complimented NDDB for its focused efforts in border areas towards organising, promoting and strengthening dairy cooperatives, thereby supporting local milk production. A stronger dairy-cooperative presence in border areas could create sustainable markets, generate local employment and livelihood opportunities and contribute to reverse migration. He further underlined the scope for greater fresh-milk supplies and called for closer Army-NCDFI coordination to assess requirements and build suitable local capacities. He also stressed that the importance of maintaining adequate long-life milk capacity wherever operational need demands.
The Conclave facilitated dialogue on operational experiences, emerging requirements and the future of cooperative supplies to the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Assam Rifles. Maj Gen S Sooraj, Additional Director General Supplies and Transport, senior Army officials and Managing Directors of dairy cooperatives from border and North-Eastern states also participated.
The Conclave highlighted the gradual transition already achieved and the further potential to expand fresh-milk supplies wherever local procurement, processing, cold-chain and logistical conditions permit. This would help reduce dependence on UHT (ultra-high temperature) milk, while continuing to retain long-life products such as UHT milk – currently amounting to 4.11 crore litres, for locations where they remain operationally essential. The Conclave concluded with a renewed commitment to improve demand visibility, map product-wise capacities, strengthen alternate supply arrangements, quality and cold-chain systems, enable digital coordination, diversify the product basket and develop sustainable logistics.
NCDFI’s association with the Ministry of Defence began in 1984 and over four decades, it has grown into a strong institutional partnership involving 117 dairy cooperatives, with contract value of Rs.1,627 crore in 2025-26. Fresh milk supplies rose to 18.48 crore litres in 2025-26, while combined fresh and UHT milk supplies increased to 22.60 crore litres. The ten border and North-Eastern dairy cooperatives supplied 6.44 crore litres of fresh milk in 2025-26 to 196 Army units.
Source : Dairynews7x7 Aug 12th 2026 Press Release by NCDFI