The North News
New Delhi, March 19
India must move in “mission mode” to become a global centre for indigenous drone manufacturing within the next few years, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said. Speaking at the opening session of the two-day National Defence Industries Conclave in New Delhi on Thursday, Singh said India urgently needs to build a strong domestic drone production ecosystem to strengthen defence preparedness, ensure strategic autonomy and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.
He said the current geopolitical climate made self-reliance in drone technology increasingly important.
Referring to conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions between Iran and Israel, he said drones and counter-drone systems are set to play a major role in future warfare. He stressed that India’s goal should not be limited to assembling drones, but should extend to manufacturing every critical component within the country.
“From the drone’s moulds to its software, engines and batteries, everything must be manufactured in India,” Singh said, adding that many countries still rely heavily on Chinese imports for key drone parts.
Addressing MSMEs, start-ups, defence public sector undertakings, private defence firms, innovators, policymakers and academics, the defence minister said a strong defence manufacturing ecosystem depends on both industry participation and sustained government policy support. He urged the private sector to play a bigger role and assured full backing from the Narendra Modi government to help make India a global hub for indigenous drone production.
During the inaugural session, Singh also launched the 14th edition of the Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC-14) and the fourth edition of ADITI challenges under the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) framework.
A total of 107 problem statements were unveiled, including 82 under DISC-14 and 25 under ADITI Challenges 4.0, sourced from the armed forces, Indian Coast Guard and Defence Space Agency to encourage breakthrough defence innovation.
