Bengaluru: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Monday identified 108 systems and subsystems for Indian industry to design, develop and manufacture so as to make the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission meaningful.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the DRDO has responded positively and swiftly to the aggressive call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attain self-reliance in defence.
“In this regard, DRDO has taken several initiatives to strengthen the indigenous defence ecosystem. A DRDO delegation also met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today to apprise him about 108 systems and subsystems which have been identified for designing and development by the Indian Industry only,” an MoD communication said.
Earlier, Rajnath Singh tweeted saying that the initiative will pave way for Indian defence industry to develop many technologies towards building a self-reliant nation.
Among the 108 list, some of the key technologies include: mini and micro UAVs, NBC Shelters, Armoured Engineering Reconnaissance Vehicle (AERV), Multipurpose Decontamination Systems (MPDS), Mobile Decontamination System (MDS), Bullet Proof Vehicle, Missile Canisters, Marine Rocket Launcher, Satellite Navigation Receivers, Blast Sensors and Torpedo Tubes to name a few.
According to MoD, the industry will get DRDO support for the design, development and testing of these systems on requirement basis.
“All the requirements of these systems by R&D establishments, armed forces, and other security agencies can be met through development contracts or production orders on suitable Indian industry. This will allow DRDO to focus on design and development of critical and advanced technologies and systems,” says MoD.
Right Step
Reacting to the development, Raj Narayan, MD, Radel tells Onmanorama that DRDO has taken the right step in boosting the morale of industries.
“As an early entrant supporting India’s defence R&D, I am confident this move will further strengthen the eco-system in India. It will also give confidence to private industries to partner for national programmes in a big way. A much-needed step,” Raj Narayan said.
MoD says Indian industry has progressed from a ‘build to print’ partner to ‘build to specification’ partner.
According to MoD, the industry base for DRDO consists of 1800 MSMEs along with DPSUs, Ordnance Factories and large scale industries.
“DRDO has already taken major initiatives through various policies to involve Indian industry as Development-cum Production Partners (DcPP), offering its technology to industry at nominal cost and providing free access to its patents,” says MoD.
Wg Cdr Cd Upadhyay (Retd), former Chief Test Pilot (Rotary Wing), HAL, says that unless the industry is roped in a big way, India cannot achieve self-reliance in aerospace and defence sector.
“We need more Indian systems and sub-systems supporting our military programmes. The key is to develop everything that’s needed to support our armed forces. This is a great opportunity for DPSUs and private players. A much-needed thought from DRDO which will boost desi R&D,” Wg Cdr Upadhyay (Retd) tells Onmanorama.
Out of the 108 systems/sub-systems, DRDO has set a deadline of one year (in some cases lesser than that) to achieve the goal of realizing the products.
“The idea is to make DRDO focus on major tasks. We will see the results in the next two years. Under the current circumstances, we have no other option to look within the country to make defence R&D vibrant. Bottlenecks will come, but we need quick results and industry is the only answer,” says a DRDO official, who was part of today’s delegation.
