Overview
- Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh urged a whole‑of‑nation effort linking the armed forces, DRDO, industry and academia to build a self‑reliant, technology‑driven defence ecosystem.
- He confirmed that the Defence Procurement Manual 2009 and Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 are being rewritten to be more dynamic and outcome‑focused while lowering entry barriers for private firms and start‑ups.
- Lessons from Operation Sindoor highlighted shortfalls in electronic warfare, counter‑unmanned systems, low‑level radars and drone resilience in GPS‑denied environments, prompting immediate use of emergency procurement.
- To raise R&D intensity, Singh cited measures including sharing 25% of DRDO’s Technology Development Fund with the private sector and creation of a Rs 1 lakh crore research fund under the Department of Science & Technology.
- He said an international fighter‑engine collaboration with DRDO is in final selection stages with full IPR transfer as the goal, and Southern Command flagged Pune and Maharashtra as an emerging defence‑technology hub.