“Technologically advanced military is crucial to protect the interests of the country,” said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the inauguration of the two-day “DRDO-Academia' conclave in New Delhi on May 25. The conclave aims to create an interface between DRDO’s requirements and academia’s capabilities through a synergistic dialogue between DRDO directors, scientists, and academicians.
The theme of the conclave is ‘DRDO-Academia Partnership – Opportunities and Challenges’. The Defence Minister said it is a dire need that DRDO and Academia work in partnership with each other to find solutions to the challenges being faced by us in the 21st century. “This partnership will prove helpful in making India a leading nation in defence technologies,” he added.
It is a well-known fact that research drives technological advancements, allowing the defence forces to stay at the forefront of innovation. As stated by the Minister, “Unless we do research, we will not be able to adopt new technologies.” Through research, new and improved defence technologies and systems can be developed, enhancing the capabilities of the armed forces.
Moreover, around 350 senior academicians across the country will be attending the conclave. The conclave will have one plenary session and four technical sessions on Aeronautics, Naval, Life Science and Armament.
Significance of the partnership
Shedding light on the benefits of this partnership, the Defence Minister stressed that through this synergy, the DRDO will get a skilled human resource base from eminent institutions like IISC, IITs, NITs, and other universities from across the country, as these institutions nurture a large pool of talented and skilled youth.
On the other hand, academia will benefit from the R&D fund of DRDO that it spends on developing new technologies and will also get access to the advanced infrastructure and lab facilities of the defence research organisation.
“Countries across the world express their willingness to conduct joint exercises with our armed forces. In such a situation, it becomes imperative that we have a technologically advanced military to protect the interests of the country. For a country like India, it becomes very important because we are facing a double threat on our borders,” said the Minister. In an increasingly complex and competitive global security landscape, research provides countries with a strategic edge and acts as a deterrent.
