Antony asks DRDO to increase interactions with the private sector

Hyderabad: Defence minister, AK Antony, has asked DRDO scientists to 'shed old mindsets' and reorient themselves to face the challenges brought in by the rapid pace of changes taking place in every sphere of life in a globalised world. He was addressing DRDO scientists after touring a cluster of missile development laboratories in Hyderabad.

According to Antony, DRDO will have to increase its interactions with public and private sector firms for technology transfers and R&D work keeping in mind government's policy to provide an enhanced role for the private sector in defence.

" The political and economic dynamics of relationships between the countries, today, both regional and global, are constantly changing. On the one side, this forces us to constantly reappraise conventional and non-conventional threats to our national security. On the other, the impact of globalization requires that we reassess and adjust to new economic relationships."

Antony said that the DRDO cannot remain insulated from the changes taking place around it and has to re-configure and adjust itself to the changing environment. " Rapid advances in science and technology require that the DRDO adjusts its organizational structure and goals to new situations and new requirements and in the process shed old mindsets. The DRDO will have to actively increase its interaction with both the public and private sectors for technology transfers and R & D so that products which have civilian applications can be productionised . And all this without losing sight of the DRDO's primary mandate which is in support of the country's defence preparedness," he said.

Antony also said that the Rama Rao committee report, which has looked at these issues, is under consideration of the government.

He also congratulated DRDO scientists for the successful launch of the Agni-1 missile on Sunday, which was executed entirely by the end-user, the Indian Army.

Accompanied by the DRDO chief, M Natarajan and other distinguished scientists of the organization including Dr VK Saraswat and Dr Avinash Chander, Antony visited the missile complex, which hosts premier laboratories such as the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Defence Electronics Research Laboratory, which specializes in electronic warfare.