Defence R&D Is Must To Deal With Future Challenges: Rajnath Singh

India must set new goals according to the ever-changing global landscape and also that research and development (R&D) and strong private sector participation are the only ways to achieve the preparedness that will be required to face future challenges, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said during a seminar at the 12th DefExpo in Gandhinagar on Thursday.

The Minister said, a number of policy reforms were taken by the government to achieve ‘aatmanirbharta’ in defence and stay ready to deal with future security challenges. He continues, "We also dedicated one-fourth of the defence research budget to industry-led R&D, which has laid the foundation of a strong, self-reliant defence sector and is sufficient to equip the Indian armed forces with the latest weapons and equipment."

He further said, “India has embarked on a journey of self-reliance in defence. The private sector will play a crucial role in moving towards complete self-reliance. With the collaborative efforts of the government and industry, we will realise our vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World'.” 

Minister commended the role of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)'s role in synergising the industry, academia and defence R&D efforts towards fuelling India’s mission of ‘aatmanirbharta’ in defence.

In his presence, MoUs are signed between academic institutions and the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO), the Indian Navy, for the formation of DRDO-Industry-Academia-Centres of Excellence (DIA-CoEs). The academic institutions include IIT Roorkee, Hyderabad, Kharagpur, Bharatiya University and others. These institutions will initiate the work in the focus areas for advanced defence research.

The minister awarded the Rotary Wing Research and Design Centre division of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Accord Systems and Software (ASS) the design organisational approval certificates.

The minister also launched a book titled "Compilation of 8 Years of Major Achievements of DRDO, Ministry of Defence (2014-2022)."