Looking to build national stock of critical minerals'

Reforms, indigenisation key themes at Blueprint conclave

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The Ministry of Defence could adopt a "carrot and stick" approach with production agencies-both public and private -to ensure quality control in the indigenisation effort, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh told Business Standard at a conclave, hosted by the newspaper to launch its monthly magazine Blueprint, in New Delhi on Saturday. During a fireside conversation with AK Bhattacharya, Singh also said that the Department of Defence Production was considering building a national stock of critical minerals and metals as a shortterm measure to meet urgent requirements.

While Singh enthralled the audience with insights into the reform roadmap for the defence sector after unveiling Blueprint - a unique magazine focussed on defence and geopolitics, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V Narayanan explained the country's space vision in a delightful valedictory conversation.

The private sector had its say too. Rajinder Singh Bhatia, chairman of Kalyani Strategic Systems, the defence subsidiary of Bharat Forge, answered questions on whether reforms have benefited the industry.

"True indigenisation would essentially mean that design and IPR (intellectual property rights) rest within the country," Singh said about self-reliance in defence that the government is pushing the sector to achieve.