Rajnath Singh urges DRDO to develop futuristic defence technologies

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while inaugurating the Advanced Weapon System Complex at DRDL in Hyderabad, urged DRDO to focus on futuristic technologies to strengthen India’s strategic advantage.

Hyderabad: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday called on the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to work on futuristic technologies to give the country a strategic advantage.

Stating that the world is passing through an era of turmoil and uncertainty with new challenges emerging, he underlined the need to focus on meeting the requirements of future warfare.

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The Defence Minister was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Advanced Weapon System Complex at Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad.

“The world today is passing through the era of turmoil and uncertainty. There is conflict in some places, instability in others, and in a few regions, the situation is approaching outright war. The international order is undergoing a period of tension and change. Old assumptions are breaking down, and new alliances and new challenges are taking shape,” he said.

“In this changing era, DRDO’s responsibility is not limited merely to adapting itself in accordance with technological changes. We must also work on futuristic technologies while forecasting future needs to gain a strategic advantage. We must not only address the challenges of the present, but also carry out our work keeping in mind the requirements of future warfare today itself,” Rajnath Singh said.

He noted that systems developed by DRDO, such as Akash and BrahMos, have demonstrated their excellent capabilities in real-time situations during Operation Sindoor. The success of these systems has proven that India today also has the capability to compete in the global defence technology ecosystem, he said.

“Today, India is passing through an extremely important phase of its defence modernisation journey. The nature of warfare is changing rapidly worldwide. Precision-strike capabilities, Integrated Air Defence Systems, Hypersonic Weapons, Autonomous Platforms, Artificial Intelligence, Electronic Warfare, and Advanced Sensor Technologies are redefining the character of modern warfare,” he said.

The Defence Minister stated that the armed forces need not just state-of-the-art equipment but also sufficient numbers at the right time. “Success in war is not ensured merely by technological superiority; for that, large-scale production capability is equally important.”

He suggested that DRDO leadership consider production an integral part of the development process itself. He called for reducing the development-to-production timelines and simplifying manufacturing processes. “Indigenous content will have to be increased, and we will have to develop such systems that can be rapidly mass-produced for the Armed Forces if needed.”

He exuded confidence that DRDO will make India fully self-reliant in the defence sector. “The role of the Missile and Strategic Systems, i.e., the MSS Cluster, is extremely crucial in achieving this national goal. I am fully confident that this Cluster will continue to be a centre of innovation, excellence, and strategic strength in the future as well, and will provide new energy to India’s journey of security and self-reliance.”

Rajnath Singh said the government has unprecedented confidence in DRDO for the development of indigenous defence technologies. He said the objective of each of their projects should be to strengthen national capability, reduce technological dependence, and enhance the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces.