The Minister of State for Defence Mr M M Pallam Raju has said that the Ordnance Factories organisation is critically important in our quest for modernisation and self-reliance in the defence production sector. With a rich experience, spanning over two hundred years, it represents a fine blend of traditional and contemporary technologies.The Minister said, process of Globalisation has opened up a plethora of opportunities and the Government is striving to achieve the goal of self-reliance through the cooperation of the public and private sector in this regard. <br/><br/>He was speaking at the Valedictory Ceremony of the two batches of probationers of the Indian Ordnance Factories Service held in the National Academy of Defence Production in Nagpuron Wednesday. In all, thirty three IOFS probationers joined the service on their passing out of the academy.<br/><br/>The Additional Director General of Ordnance Factories and Member Ms Meenakshi Seth and Senior Principal Director of the academy Mr S N Patil also addressed the probationers on the occasion.