New Delhi: The DRDO defence push gathered momentum after chairman Dr Samir V Kamat said the organisation would induct several indigenous weapon systems within one to three years to secure a near-term battlefield edge.
Speaking on defence preparedness, Kamat said DRDO was accelerating work across missiles, torpedoes, air defence and anti-tank platforms. As a result, the armed forces would gain faster access to operationally ready systems.
Moreover, he said the induction pipeline included guided Pinaka rockets and the Dhruvastra anti-tank guided missile. In addition, advanced naval strike weapons would significantly strengthen maritime combat capability.
At the same time, Kamat said air defence remained a central priority under the DRDO defence push. Therefore, DRDO aligned indigenous systems to counter evolving aerial threats while reducing reliance on imports.
DRDO defence push and the self-reliance challenge
However, Kamat warned that India’s defence research and development spending remained well below global benchmarks. Consequently, low investment could slow long-term capability growth.
To address this gap, he called for stronger civil-military fusion. Similarly, he urged universities and private industry to take a larger role in defence innovation.
Ultimately, Kamat said India must align technology development with future battlefield needs to achieve full defence self-reliance by 2047. Meanwhile, the DRDO defence push will continue to deliver near-term results alongside long-term capacity building.
