Large public sector undertakings in the aerospace and defence sector are transforming themselves into super integrators with private sector providing critical inputs in the changed business environment, according to G Sateesh Reddy, Director-General of Missiles and Strategic Systems.

Reddy, who serves as Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, mentioned how Bharat Dynamics Limited, a manufacturer of missiles and missile systems, has become one such super integrator. It is currently executing orders of over Rs 24,000 crore for various missile systems and of this nearly 80 per cent is being provided by the private sector players.

“This only shows how the country has transformed over the years from purely being dependant on imports to a manufacturer and integrator of systems indigenously. However, we still depend a lot on imports and the focus has been to reduce such dependency,” he said addressing the students at convocation of University of Hyderabad.

Referring to HAL, he said, India has managed to indigenously develop the light combat aircraft, and joins a select group of countries to do so. “While some of the developed nations might have taken lesser time (about 15-16 years) to achieve this, we have managed to achieve this feat in about 20 years. Now HAL is in the process of executing an order for over 100 light combat aircraft, also as a super PSU with inputs from private sector,” he said.

Outlining the country's progress in various strategic sectors under the Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space and Research in the Defence Sector, Reddy said over the next decade all these would play a very significant role, including the addition of about 30,000 mw from Atomic Energy Division.

Indigenisation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen we focus on innovation, indigenisation and research and develop systems within the country. He said varsities are engines of innovations and academicians, research centres and industry can work collaboratively for the development of the country.

The industry needs upgrade from merely developing products to specifications to innovating and developing them for domestic requirements and to cater to markets globally.

As a part of this drive, the Government is looking for innovation and innovative ideas and laying stress on start ups, and encouraging them. It is here universities could play a strategic role towards the country's indigenisation.

Mentioning about the Advanced Centre for Research in High Energy Materials established in the UoH, he said it is playing important role in high propulsion systems which are useful in making missiles.

On immense capabilities that the country has, he highlighted how the Brahmos project, developed through Indo-Russian joint venture has gone on to become the only supersonic missile system that the world currently has.

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