The Prime Minister has warned that India cannot afford to rest on technological advancements as there is net deterioration in the international strategic and security environment.Dr. Manmohan Singh asserted that the political uncertainties in the immediate and extended neighbourhood, civil strife and turmoil in West Asia, terrorism and threats to cyber security present complex challenges that require both conventional as well as technological responses. Giving away the DRDO awards for the year 2011-12 in New Delhi today, Dr. Manmohan Singh re-iteratd that government is fully committed to modernise country's armed forces and provide them with whatever they need to secure the frontiers.
Expressing concern hat the share of indigenous content in defence procurement continues to be low ,Dr.Singh said that there is a need to deliver projects within reasonable time and cost. Emphasising that the country has to have its own domestic defence industry the Prime Minister said that both public and private sectors, have to come to a level where they can compete with global players.
Lauding the role of DRDO in critical innovations, the Prime Minister suggested that steps have to be taken for better partnership between public and private entrepreneurs in defence production. He said, the challenge now is to create greater incentives for domestic industry to develop capabilities for system integration, which at present only a few companies have. He said that the domestic industry need a boost to quicken the pace of development.
The Prime Minister informed that the Government is currently examining the Naresh Chandra Committee Report, which has also made a number of important recommendations with regard to defence procurement. It calls for a long term policy for increasing indigenization of defence production and high tech industries in consultation and collaboration with the private sector. A committee led by Ravindra Gupta is looking into this specific aspect.
On the Rama Rao Review Committee Report on Redefining DRDO , Dr. Singh that the current bureaucratic system of administering scientific and technical departments have to be changed to inspire young scientists to participate enthusiastically in the task of building India into a scientific and technological powerhouse.
The Prime Minister also gave away DRDO Lifetime Achievement Award to Professor P. Ramarao and Technological leadership award to Scientists A.K. Chakarbarty, Dr. K.Sekhar and Dr. K. Tamilmani , Academy excellence award to Professor V.G. Idichandy and team besides other awards.