New Delhi: Stating that there is huge scope for innovation in Defence Research & Development and manufacturing sector, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday urged the scientists fraternity to establish an ecosystem where defence equipment could be indigenously made in India in an effort to reduce the dependency on imported systems.
Addressing the 41th Directors’ Conference of DRDO here, Mr Singh said, “The time has come that we start reducing our dependence on imported systems and develop an eco-system wherein, defence equipment designed, developed and produced indigenously meet the performance requirements and are inducted in the Indian Armed Forces.”
“There is a huge scope for innovation in Defence R&D and manufacturing sector. Innovation should not be limited to R&D Organizations but must be percolated down to the common man. There is need to work out mechanism to promote innovations by individuals as well as by start-ups and MSMEs,” he added.
The minister also said that the defence industry is being treated as a development partner.
“I am happy to note that DRDO has initiated many steps for increased involvement of industry. It is also heartening to note that the industry is now being increasingly considered as a development partner rather than a vendor,” Mr Singh said.
Earlier, he garlanded the statue of former President and scientist APJ Abdul Kalam at DRDO Bhawan here and urged the the DRDO fraternity to imbibe the working ethos of Dr Kalam whose tenacity and perseverance led our nation forward on the road to achieve self-reliance in defence systems.
Stressing on the need of having modern technology and better equipped armed forces National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said technology and money are two things which will influence geopolitics in the modern world.
“Either you're better than your adversaries or you're not there at all. In the modern world, technology and money are two things which will influence geopolitics. Who'll win; will depend upon who has preponderance over their adversaries on these two. Of the two, technology is more important,” the national security adviser said.
“Armies that were better equipped always called the shots and decided the destiny of mankind. They were always the one which had higher technologies. India's own historical experience on this has been sad, we were the runner-up. There is no trophy for the runner-up,” Mr Doval added.
On technology he added, “Niche technologies are something that makes India more security. It has to be need-based. We along with our defence services and intelligence agencies have to make a hard assessment that what are our needs which will give us an edge over our adversaries.”
Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat also pushed for inclusion of indigenous technology in the armed forces and said that it will give India an edge over its adversaries.
Gen Rawat said India will fight the next war with indigenous weapons and win it, and the time was ripe to focus on future warfare. “We are looking at systems for future warfare. We have to start looking at development of cyber, space, laser, electronic and robotic technologies and artificial intelligence,” the army chief added.
He said future is of non-contact warfare. “We are looking at systems for future warfare. We have to start looking at the development of cyber, space, laser, electronic and robotic technologies and artificial intelligence,” he added.
Lauding the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the Army chief said DRDO has made strides to ensure that the needs of the armed forces are met through home-grown solutions.
Indian Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh said, “I have three suggestions-one is impetus has to be on niche technology. Second, we must take a closer look at models such DARPA in the US. Third, we need to encourage small time innovators.”
“Give us technology and weapons that have an edge to our adversaries,” Indian Air Force Chief ACM RKS Bhadauria urged the DRDO scientists.
The 2-day conference would conclude on Wednesday here.
