By IANS
New Delhi : Pointing out that delays in building weapon systems at the developmental stage run the risk of obsolescence, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday urged the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to strive for the highest standards of performance and delivery.
"Causing delays at the stage of production mean that our armed forces are deprived of timely deliveries, which often compel the government to look for external procurement to fill emerging gaps in our inventories," Manmohan Singh said while giving away DRDO Awards for path-breaking research and technology development.
Of late, the research and development arm of the defence ministry has come under criticism for inordinate delays in manufacturing weapon systems.
This was underlined by the prime minister when he said, "The rapidly changing international defence and security environment does not of course always provide us the luxury of developing weapons systems over long gestation periods."
As India integrates with the global economy, Manmohan Singh emphasised that new opportunities as well as new challenges would arise.
"Our defence industry should acquire the efficiency and agility to respond to the new environment so that the best weapons systems are available to our armed forces in a timely fashion," he said.
"We all have a responsibility for maximising returns on public investment while ensuring that the strategic autonomy we seek in key defence sectors is not diluted or compromised."
While stating that India lived in an uncertain security environment and in a world of unequal power relations, Manmohan Singh said it had become imperative to create adequate defence preparedness to manage any potential challenge to security and national interests.
In the same breath, he said India was a responsible member of the international community and had a vital stake in the evolution of a stable and rule-based international system.
"We seek, therefore, a neighbourhood of peace and prosperity as a vital pillar of our national security. We don't wish to engage in an arms race with any one.
"As a possessor of advanced technologies, we will continue to maintain the highest standards of non-proliferation controls. A heavy responsibility rests on the shoulders of the DRDO in meeting these challenges."
Lauding some of DRDO's achievements in recent years, Manmohan Singh paid tribute to the successful launches of the Agni-III and the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and the limited series production block of the Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas, which underwent a successful first flight.
"With the successful demonstration of anti-ballistic missile technology, India has entered an exclusive club of countries possessing such a capability," he said.