Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urged the defence industry players in the country to invest more in cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), cyber defence, and autonomous systems.
“India’s defence industry must keep pace with global trends and focus on high-end technology. There is a need to increase investments in areas like AI and autonomous systems, which will define the future of warfare. The government is ready to provide all necessary support,” Singh said while addressing the seventh annual session of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) in New Delhi.
He described the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict as a reminder to build a strong defence industrial base, which can be bolstered and expanded with time, and promised that the government would ensure a renewed thrust to its ongoing efforts towards developing a robust, innovative, and self-reliant defence ecosystem in India.
Speaking about the issuance of positive indigenisation lists (PILs) for over 5,500 items, the defence minister said the idea is to equip the armed forces with platforms and equipment manufactured in India. He urged the industry participants to achieve complete self-reliance for these items within the stipulated time, and identify products that can be added to the PILs.
ALSO READ: French defence company Safran to set up shop in India. How will this help Indian military?
The minister hailed the contribution made by the private sector in defence exports which hit a record high of over Rs 21,000 crore in the financial year 2023-24 and urged everyone to reduce the ratio between import and export figures.
Observing that small & medium enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups have a great potential to contribute to the defence sector, he urged SIDM to work closely with the government to address ground-level issues and help these enterprises to play a larger role in defence manufacturing. “It is important to ensure that our policies translate into ease of doing business at the ground level. SIDM can help in identifying the practical challenges faced by start-ups and SMEs so that we can address them.”