OFB, DRDO must cooperate not just compete: DRDO Chief

NAGPUR: Ordnance Factories Board ( OFB) and Defence Research & Development Organisation should forge greater cooperation between themselves instead of just competing against each other, the DRDO chief said today.

Director-General of DRDO Avinash Chander said ordnance factories should have deeper co-operation with DRDO and not just competition.

OFB and DRDO are part of India's vast defence industrial set up but have separate administrative structure and are involved in developing different systems.

Chander, who is also Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, was speaking as chief guest at the valedictory function of National Academy of Defence Production at Ambajhari here yesterday.

Fifty-two probationary officers of the Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS) passed out on the occasion.

Chander, a renowned defence scientist and the man behind Agni series of missiles, emphasised on building indigenous weapon platforms to achieve self-reliance.

"We are looking to build our future based on long-term technological perspective of DRDO. A prosperous India is emerging and we need to support the economy by building world -class capacities in technologies, manufacturing and quality."

"We would like to build these capabilities through self-reliance in weapon platforms, including unmanned systems," a defence release today quoted Chander as saying at the function.

DRDO and OFB are working together on many weapon systems like joint venture protective carbine, under barrel grenade launcher and multi-calibre assault rifle, the release added.