Time has come for private sector to take lead in defence: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Expressing confidence in the growing defence manufacturing ecosystem in the country, defence minister Rajnath Singh has said that the time has come for the private industry to take a lead in the sector and that today's innovators and entrepreneurs are naturally placed to achieve it.

Speaking at an event to promote partnerships between the private sector and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the minister said that an unconventional approach is the need of the hour as the world moves to unconventional warfare.

"I feel that the time has come when the private sector should take the lead in the defence sector. I am saying this because the private industry not only has the ability to absorb the rapid changes taking place but also has the ability to create new innovations," he said.


The minister added that a transformation is taking place in the defence sector that needs innovators and the industry to take the lead to meet the evolving requirements of the armed forces. "New dimensions have been added to modern-day warfare such as drones, cyber warfare, bio-weapons and space defence. In this transformative phase, R&D in defence will definitely make the defence sector stronger," he said.

The minister shared details of the Technology Development Fund (TDF) that was created by the government six years ago to promote research and development by startups and small companies in the private sector. Singh said that in the past six years, 79 projects have been sanctioned and technology has been successfully developed in 18 of them.

The minister also launched several new challenges to the industry on disruptive, emerging, enabling and pioneering technologies (Deep-Tech). These include development of compact electromechanical actuators, indigenous thrusters for yard craft (Indian Navy) and high purity silicon carbide source powder for bulk growth of SiC single crystal.

The industry also handed over indigenous technologies developed under the TDF scheme to the DRDO and armed forces at the event. This included a new autonomous drone as first responder for search and report missions in enclosed environments by NewSpace Research and Technology. A simulator for unmanned ground, marine (sea surface and underwater) and aerial vehicles by Combat Robotics India Pvt Ltd was also handed over.