Visakhapatnam: Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and secretary of Department of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D)
Dr G. Satheesh Reddy said India has achieved around 60 per cent indigenisation in defence production and hopes to make it 100 per cent in another five years.
India is still one of the largest importers of defence equipment and DRDO laboratories in the nation will prepare an agenda for the next 10 years. DRDO wants to encourage start-ups and smaller units in the areas of research, development and production in the defence sector, he added.
Satheesh Reddy, who is known for his R&D in missile systems and contribution in aerospace technologies, was the chief guest at the 49th Raising Day celebrations of Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) in Vizag city on Saturday.
India has focused on indigenous defence production to become self-reliant in the area of security, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Satheesh Reddy said there is a need to encourage youngsters in a big way in the research and development sector, besides the need for supporting start-ups by funding and providing technology and testing support.
A lot of talent is there but the young stars don't have incubation centres.
They can develop an idea but to sustain that idea till it becomes a mature product, they require some funding support, he added.
DRDO is planning to work with everyone in an integrated manner and support all the others for better results in defence production.
DRDO will play a key role in backward research and utilise all the resources and simplify the procedures for more efficiency in the coming days.
“If we encourage the start-ups in bigger ways and centres of technologies where youngsters in specialised fields can work on various defence related projects, India will lead in the sector in the next 10 years,”
Dr Satheesh Reddy added.
