Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM's speech at the National Technology Day

I am delighted to be amongst this distinguished gathering to celebrate the annual National Technology Day.

On this special occasion in the Golden Jubilee year of DRDO, I heartily congratulate all the awardees and the entire DRDO fraternity. I wish them every success in their endeavour to transform India into a great technological power.

During the past 50 years, DRDO has created an extraordinary range of infrastructure and technologies covering aeronautics, missiles, radars and electronic warfare systems, combat vehicles and armaments, naval systems and special materials and manufacturing processes. The country is proud of your achievements.

During this period, the Nation has also taken rapid strides in its scientific and technological capabilities. India is today among a few countries in the world which has a broad based defence industry and advanced defence technologies. With India's rapid economic development in the last few years, our economy is able to sustain greater investments in the area of defence research and development. Equally, there is an expectation that we should aspire for even greater achievements and levels of self-reliance to safeguard our security and independence. Our government is committed to achieving these goals.

The fruits of our technological progress must also reach the common man. This is the only way in which we can make every citizen of India a productive participant in India's growth story. DRDO has a crucial role to play in leading by example.

India's internal priorities and external policies are closely linked. Our foreign policy rests on the principles of peaceful co-existence and friendship with the rest of the world. We seek an international order that is stable, just and conducive to meeting the challenges of poverty alleviation, unemployment and inequalities. We seek a harmonious environment in our neighbourhood and a web of linkages that facilities mutually beneficial cooperation. India pursues its foreign policy as a responsible member of the international community.

At the same time it is imperative that India is fully equipped to effectively respond to any external threat. The protection of our national security is the sacred duty of the government. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure the requisite level of defence preparedness. We take pride in the fact that our professional Armed Forces are second to none.

The successful demonstration of our anti-ballistic and long-range strategic missile capabilities indicates our growing technological strength. I would particularly like to congratulate our scientists and engineers on the recent successful launch of the Agni III missile. I understand that all the design parameters have been validated.

There have been noteworthy achievements in other areas. Weapons and sensors have been successfully integrated onto the Light Combat Aircraft in its road to operational clearance. The production of first squadron of the Light Combat Aircraft has been taken up concurrently. Crucial steps have also been taken in electronic warfare, radar and communication systems, materials technology and the life sciences. Radars for battlefield surveillance and weapons location have been ordered or are being evaluated. The production of MBT - Arjun Tank is progressing. The Surface to Air Missile System Akash is being inducted into our Armed Forces.

I am happy to know that DRDO, in collaboration with its Russian partner, has successfully developed the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile for land targets for the Army, in addition to sea targets for the Navy. This is a shining example of international cooperation in the area of defence technology.

I understand that in the coming years the DRDO will focus on several state-of-the-art technologies such as Hypersonic Propulsion, Unmanned Air, Land and Underwater Vehicles, Robotics, Stealth, Smart Materials, Micro and Nano Technologies, as well as warfighter support. These will enable us to keep pace with current trends in warfare, especially the emergence and growth of non-conventional and asymmetric warfare. DRDO is also proposing to invest in the development of fuel cell technology. This is a promising area of the future.

The advances made by DRDO have substantially enhanced our self-reliance in defence preparedness. Self-reliance is not just a function of numbers or of percentages. At its heart is our ability to clearly define those strategic and critical areas in which development of national capability is a must. We must pursue this goal with determination and a long-term perspective.

The technologies developed by DRDO have also stimulated the growth of our public and private sector defence industry. In order to derive maximum benefits from our emerging capabilities, it is essential that all stakeholders - DRDO, the Armed forces and the industry - work in close coordination with each other.

Development of high technologies is a complex and time-consuming process. However, with the long experience and expertise now available with DRDO and the industry, all efforts must be made to ensure timely deliveries of technologies and equipment to our defence forces. The availability of appropriate technological solutions to problems faced by our Defence Services will help optimize their combat effectiveness. It should also promote the well-being of our troops.

The Government remains committed to the broad-basing of the defence industry in India. Our resources, infrastructure capabilities, and intellectual capital - in both public and private sectors - should be treated as national assets, and be carefully nurtured and optimally utilized.

I am also happy to learn that, in the golden jubilee year, DRDO is conducting a comprehensive review of its structure and functioning. I hope that this exercise would help DRDO fully adapt itself to contemporary technological needs in an efficient manner. Our scientific and engineering talent should be given all encouragement by providing a world class environment with state-of-the-art R&D facilities to nurture creativity and innovation. It is essential to encourage the development of private-public partnerships based on sound business and financial criteria. This will ensure that critical products and systems are available at affordable cost.

In conclusion, I extend my best wishes to the entire DRDO fraternity in their mission to develop a strong indigenous technology base. I also urge the scientists, technical staff and supporting personnel of DRDO to continue to strive for excellence in their respective disciplines.

Thank you.