NSA Ajit Doval and Rajnath Singh during the 41st Directors Conference of DRDO in New Delhi. (PTI photo)

NEW DELHI: With India continuing to languish as virtually the world's largest arms importer, the country's national security leadership on Tuesday stressed the urgent need for DRDO to develop high-tech weapon systems as well as "home-grown solutions" in space, cyberspace, electronic warfare, robotics and other such arenas.

Addressing the 41st directors conference of Defence Research and Development Organisation , defence minister Rajnath Singh asked scientists to develop an "indigenous innovation system", with less dependence on imported military systems, to achieve self-reliance in critical defence technologies. "Development of technology should be cost effective and time efficient," he said.

National security adviser Ajit Doval also called for "need-based" development of military technologies that targeted specific requirements of the armed forces and other organisations. "India's security vulnerabilities are much greater today, and they are going to be much more greater in times to come," he said. "This is the game where the winner takes it all, and there is no trophy for the runner-up," said Doval.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat , in turn, expressed confidence that India will fight and win the next war with indigenous weapon systems. "India is one of the largest importers of weapons and ammunition, and after 70 years of Independence, it is not a very proud statement to make. But in the past few years, it is changing. DRDO is striving to ensure our requirements of services are met with home-grown solutions," he said.



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