ADB to highlight the army's modernisation needs

NEW DELHI: Army Design Bureau (ADB), which will give a better understanding of the requirements of army to the academia, research institutions and the industry for development of defence products, was launched here today.

Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag, who announced the launch of the ADB and its website, said the army will come out with a compendium which would help the reaserch and development fraternity in developing indigenous solutions for the force's modernisation needs.

ADB will also be a "single point contact" and a platform for an interaction between the army and academia, the defence public sector units (PSU), private players to understand the requirements of the army, he said.

More importantly, Singh said, "the programme will also help in realising the 'Make in India' initiative".

The army had identified several projects, including 125 mm Smooth Bore Barrel with Gun Article, improved ammunition for T-72 and T-90 tanks, 1000 HP engines for T-72 tanks and auxiliary power, 10 months ago and uploaded the information for industry and the research agencies on the website of Ministry of Defence.

Singh said when he was the Vice-Chief of the Army, he had realised that there was a need to do a lot on indigenisation and the 'Make in India' drive helped in giving a boost to that initiative.

It was not that the industry was not providing equipments to the army for trials, but at several instances, the products did not meet the force's requirements, he added.

Singh also informed that Deputy Chief of Army Staff (DCAOAS) and senior army officers have been interacting with industry bodies with a view to promote awareness on army's modernisation needs, discovering capabilities of the industry and encouraging long terms research in academia at various industrial hubs across the country.

Accordingly, interactions were also held with several IITs, he said.