The Defence Secretary, Giridhar Aramane, urged the private sector to focus on developing new innovations and mass-producing high-quality products in a timely manner. He emphasised the importance of collaboration between the government and industry, with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) providing research and development support to the private sector. The Defence Secretary hoped that the private sector could incorporate faster and more advanced technology into their future products. He further stressed the significance of achieving self-reliance in defence, as relying on other countries to secure national interests isn’t a trusted trend in geopolitics. The Defence Secretary asserted that self-reliance will help India take significant steps towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Speaking at the national symposium and industry meet on ‘Emerging Technologies in Infrastructure Development’, organised by the DRDO in New Delhi on Thursday, he stressed the theme by highlighting the imperative of self-reliance across all sectors to tackle forthcoming challenges. He highlighted India’s substantial youth demographic as poised to benefit from self-reliance, securing meaningful employment opportunities for them.
The two-day affair, drawing attendees from the Armed Forces, academia, industry, and DRDO, serves as a forum for nurturing discourse, sharing insights, and delving into inventive strategies to confront the prospects and hurdles posed by evolving technologies in infrastructure advancement, aligning with the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
Highlighting the emphasis being laid by the government on infrastructure development along the borders, the Defence Secretary exhorted the infrastructure firms to contribute to further strengthening the apparatus. He added that while the Armed Forces personnel are being provided with the latest weapons/equipment, the private sector should contribute to bolstering the infrastructure set-up in the border areas. He referred to the Vibrant Villages Programme, which aims to motivate people to stay in their native locations in border areas, and urged the firms to set up a separate section within their respective organisations, which focuses on development in far-flung areas.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat emphasised the importance of infrastructure in a nation’s development. He stated that India is witnessing phenomenal growth in the field of technical infrastructure, which is required to maintain the country’s strategic deterrence. The DRDO Chairman added that technology is evolving rapidly, and the necessity of sustainable infrastructure and green infrastructure is now becoming a part of the technical domain. “It’s time to explore ways to incorporate the latest technologies in our technical infrastructure. We have made a good start, but work needs to be done to catch up with the best practices,” he said.
The Defence Secretary also inaugurated the industry-partner exhibition, which was organized on the sidelines of the event and showcased the latest technologies and products developed by the various industry partners. The event also included student competition from IITs, NITs, and other Engineering colleges.
Team BharatShakti