Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat on Friday said that DRDO has helped the armed forces to become self-reliant to face the emerging challenges while adding that the country will win the future war with indigenously-developed weapons. Speaking at the DRDO here, General Rawat said, “For the past few years, DRDO has helped the armed forces to become self-reliant to face the emerging challenges ahead of the country. Currently, we are facing several challenges at the northern and western borders. The way in which we are heading towards self-reliance, it is pertinent for DRDO to keep working ardently in that direction.” “The way we are moving towards self-reliance, it is very important that DRDO continues to work diligently,” he added. While addressing the DRDO officials, CDS Rawat said, “You must strive to provide indigenous weapons and equipment to all three forces which will help us enhance the country’s capabilities during the possibility of war.” Over entry of private industries in the defence sector, General Rawat said,” “This time we are witnessing that our private industry is also motivated, they need your support. I feel that in case of war in the future, we will win it through indigenous weapons.” “The way DRDO has kept working, if you will continue in this manner, I can say for sure that, we will emerge victorious in the next possible war using indigenously made weapons and equipments,” he said while lauding the role of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in developing indigenous weapons. General Rawat also said the government is taking decisions to procure “Made in India” weapons. Talking about the Thursday’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meet, CDS said, “Yesterday the Defence acquisition Council met, where the Defence Minister (Rajnath Singh) gave nod for weapons and equipment worth around Rs 30,000 crores. 90 per cent of this weaponry will be made under Make in India and DRDO will play a major role in it.” This comes after DAC cleared proposals worth Rs 28,000 crore, of which acquisitions worth Rs 27,000 crore would be sourced from Indian industries.
