‘DRDO revamp on cards for faster tech delivery’

spoke about India’s defence reforms, indigenous technology, startup support, and critical mineral strategy at the launch of the Blueprint magazine in New Delhi. Edited excerpts from his interaction with A K Bhattacharya of Business Standard:

- Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh

How far has India progressed in achieving self-reliance in defence production?

India’s defence sector has made significant strides in indigenisation, but the journey is ongoing. Across key domains such as artillery, armoured systems, long-range missiles, and multi-barrel rocket launchers, domestic production has reached advanced levels. True indigenisation would essentially mean that the entire design and intellectual property rights rest within the country. However, in certain high-technology areas, the country still relies on technology transfers. The government's approach is to encourage domestic manufacturing while leveraging foreign technology where necessary.

How is the government balancing domestic production and strategic imports?

The policy framework encourages collaboration between Indian companies and foreign technology partners. While domestic manufacturing is emphasised, strategic imports are allowed in areas where India lacks the necessary technical capabilities. This ensures that critical capability gaps are addressed without compromising self-reliance objectives. The government is also considering royalty charges for Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) technologies licensed to domestic manufacturers.

How are public defence companies performing after corporatisation?