Rajnath Singh calls for low-cost, high-tech solutions for forces

Ongoing conflicts across the globe have shown that building a resilient, future-ready defence manufacturing ecosystem within the country is a strategic necessity, defence minister Rajnath Singh has said, making a case for modernisation of the armed forces through self-reliance.

"There is a need to develop low-cost high-tech solutions and enhance the fighting capability of the armed forces. Our forces must not only keep pace with technological changes, but also lead it," the minister said in an address at the convocation ceremony of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, on Thursday.

Speaking with armed forces officers from India and friendly nations, the minister said that it is important to be future ready in the current evolving security environment where cyber, space and information are as potent as conventional operations.


"The battlefield of tomorrow will require leaders who can adapt to unforeseen circumstances, leverage technology to their advantage and come out with innovative solutions," he said.

Singh said that global geopolitics reflects a big pivot towards prioritising national security, a technological tsunami sweeping the global landscape and accelerating innovation. He added that the impact of technological innovation on the battlefield has been breathtaking.

"In the Ukraine-Russia conflict, drones have virtually emerged as a new arm, if not a transformative science...," he said.

The minister also pitched for enhanced synergy and a 'Whole of Nation' approach towards security that includes the entire spectrum of diplomatic, informational, military, economic and technological domains.