Tie-ups with industries will boost autonomy in weapon production: A Sivathanu Pillai, BrahMos Aerospace

HYDERABAD: A robust 'Military Industrial Complex' should be built for large-scale production of quality weapons and equipment in the country to achieve self-reliance, A Sivathanu Pillai, CEO and MD, BrahMos Aerospace, said here on Tuesday.

"The country on Tuesday is aiming to go for more indigenous production. If you know about our procurement policy, it stipulates 'Buy Indian'. That means, we need to go in a big way to industries. Then only 'Buy Indian' is realisable. The self-reliance index on Tuesday from the indigenous systems is moving up. But, if you go for large-scale industrial partnership, then the self-reliance will be much," he told reporters.

He was speaking on the sidelines of 'BRAHMOS Industry Consortium Meet 2013'- Towards Excellence in PPP' here.

The self-reliance in industrial production would solve the problems associated with imports can be solved, he said.

"The developed countries from where we are buying, they don't give the best of the equipments. They only give second-rate equipment to us.

"Secondly, there is continuous problem of getting spares. Then, they don't give the technology associated with that. If they don't give the technology, we are weak in our design standard. Any weakness in design will finally reflect in making the product improved," he said.

Highlighting the need to have design knowledge, he observed that it is necessary to go for indigenous production in a big way to acquire it.

Economic strength and military might are important and necessary for maintaining a position of strength in international negotiations, he said.

The purpose of the consortium meet today is to bring all the strength of Indian industries, both public and private, who really contributed in a big way.

"If they can make this type of contribution for one programme, the BrahMos, they can do many things," he said.

Noting that all materials are now produced in India, an indication of the strength of the country, he said appropriate policies have to be evolved to help the industries to make their contribution.

The industry must make investment in R and D and the public-private partnership consortium should be encouraged to make the country strong, he said.

Replying to a query, Pillai said 80 per cent of the products for BrahMos are coming from private industries today and 20 per cent from public sector industries.

To another query, he said there is opportunity for exports as well.