Rajnath inaugurates 41st DRDO Directors’ Conference

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi  : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on October 15, 2019, inaugurated the 41^st DRDO Directors’ Conference at DRDO Bhawan here. The Conference is an annual event, where a number of brainstorming sessions are planned over two days.

Rajnath, in his address, said the DRDO has made Defence forces of the country strong and congratulated Secretary, Department of Defence R&D & Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy and all DRDO Scientists and personnel. He appreciated the DRDO for achieving the 100 days’ target and identifying milestones to commemorate 75 years of Independence and the roadmap for 5 years.

Rajnath asked DRDO fraternity to imbibe the working ethos of former President Bharat Ratna Dr A P J Abdul Kalam. He stated that defence R&D and manufacturing has the potential to provide highest employment, direct or indirect. He asked DRDO to aim for the systems with technologies that should remain contemporary for next 10-15 years so that the Armed Forces maintain technological superiority, according to a PIB release.

The inaugural function of the conference was also attended among others by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of the Army Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, and  Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria.

Ajit Doval appreciated DRDO for doing commendable work despite all challenges. He stated that DRDO has a seminal role in making India technologically strong. He mentioned that in modern war, technology and finance are going to decide the outcome in which technology is more important. He further said that need based technology will enable us to have an edge over our adversaries. Critical technologies should be developed indigenously. The DRDO is the only organisation which can take up system integration and should further strengthen it.

General Bipin Rawat stated that DRDO has made major strides to ensure that needs of the services are met by providing various systems like Artillery Gun System, Mines, Anti-tank missile systems, etc. He was confident that future wars will be won with indigenous systems.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh said that Indian Navy is efficiently using Varunastra, Maareech, Ushus, TAL and various other DRDO developed systems.

Speaking on the occasion, Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria said that technology leadership is what defines DRDO. He also mentioned that DRDO has been able to achieve the objectives of self-reliance to a great extent in the past seven decades. He appreciated DRDO’s role in Electronic Warfare Technologies, Radars, Composite materials for LCA, AEW&C, Astra and various other technologies. He also appreciated the capabilities of LCA Tejas and asked DRDO to develop next generation aircraft AMCA harnessing the technologies and experience of LCA.