Constantly working to enhance strategic capabilities, says Defence Minister

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the defence needs of India have increased and the country is constantly working to enhance its strategic capabilities.

He said economic, political and strategic equations are changing all over the world and major world powers are in a tussle.

Our defence needs have also increased and constant modernisation of the Armed Forces is the need of the hour. Keeping ourselves ready is our top priority and we are constantly working to enhance our strategic capabilities, Singh said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the seven-storey Flight Control System (FCS) complex built at Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) by the Defence Research and Development Organisation in a record 45 days.

Singh reiterated the government's resolve to walk the extra mile to support the Armed Forces, scientists, entrepreneurs, academics, students, farmers and the people at large in their quest for excellence and a happier and prosperous future.

Referring to the technical complex, the Minister said it is a unique project not just in the country but in the entire world and is an embodiment of the new energy of New India.

This energy is of technology, commitment, institutional collaboration among public sector, private sector and academia and above all of Aatmanirbhar Bharat' as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.

He was confident that the facility will go a long way in bolstering national security.

Noting that the complex will also provide simulator training to the pilots of combat aircraft, he described it as one of its most important components.

The simulators provide an opportunity to learn by making mistakes without the possibility of any kinds of losses, he stated.

Commending DRDO and L&T for developing the hybrid technology, Singh expressed confidence that it will increase the productivity of the construction process, promote optimum utilisation of resources, reduce losses due to wastage and will be helpful in speedy completion of projects.

He also described the hybrid technology as an important milestone for the construction sector and hoped that in the coming times, India will become one of the leading countries in the field of construction technology.

Hailing the DRDO, Singh said be it technology or products, services or facilities, their advanced and faster development is the need for the hour.

Singh expressed hope that although the mandate of DRDO is to develop futuristic technologies, its spin-off benefits will be available to the civilian sector as well.

Our traditional construction industry is generally considered to be labour intensive, high risk and low on productivity but, the way DRDO has constructed the FCS complex through hybrid technology, our infrastructure projects will be completed in a low cost and time-bound manner in the times to come, he said.

Singh called upon DRDO to continue exploring new possibilities in construction technology and contribute to nation building through new innovations.

According to DRDO officials, the FCS facility is a building with the plinth area of 1.3 lakh square feet.

The FCS Integration facility at ADE, a laboratory of DRDO, was completed in a record 45 days with in-house hybrid technology consisting of conventional, pre-engineered and precast methodology.

The technology has been developed by DRDO with the help of Larsen & Toubro (L&T). Design check and technical support was provided by the teams of IIT Madras and IIT Roorkee.

This FCS facility will support Research & Development (R&D) activities for developing Avionics for Fighter Aircraft and FCS for Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft being undertaken by ADE, Bengaluru.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Secretary Department of Defence, R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy and senior officers of DRDO and state government were among those present during the inauguration.