VP praises DRDO’s work in boosting missile tech

Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday praised Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists and engineers for taking India close to self-reliance in missile technology with their hard work and perseverance.

After inaugurating two facilities at the Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Missile Complex here, he visited the exposition of technologies by Missile Complex Laboratories and said that he was elated to see the indigenous products.

“I felt reassured about the security of the country given the tremendous progress made by DRDO scientists in developing missile technology,” Naidu said.

He expressed confidence that DRDO experts will ensure that Atmanirbhar Bharat will attain a position from where the world will be Bharat Par Nirbhar (dependent on India).

Noting that the Akash missile system has recently been put into the negative list of items for import by the defence ministry, he called it a commendable achievement by the DRDO.

“It means that India is now self-reliant in this kind of missile system and so the armed forces need not import similar missile systems”, he said.

Referring to the limitations faced by India in having access to high-end missile technology of developed countries prior to the signing of Missile Technology Control Regime in 2018, he said that DRDO turned this crisis into an opportunity by developing a range of indigenous missile systems. India, he said, was now trying to shift its status from being one of the largest importers of defence products to one of the top exporters of defence items.