Fazil Mir
New Delhi, Nov 15 (NVI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said India must move beyond being merely a user of advanced technologies and emerge as a developer, innovator and global leader in critical technological fields, stressing that self-reliance in defence is a strategic necessity.
Addressing the 36th Annual Conference on Non-Destructive Evaluation and Enabling Technologies and the 15th International Symposium on Non-Destructive Testing in Aerospace virtually, Singh emphasised the need to strengthen India’s indigenous capabilities in Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) technologies to enhance defence preparedness and reduce dependence on foreign countries.
He said advanced inspection technologies, specialised sensors, evaluation equipment and associated software must be developed domestically to secure critical defence supply chains.
We must promote consistent quality assurance practices across the entire defence industrial ecosystem. Public Sector Undertakings, private manufacturers, start-ups and MSMEs have an important role to play in this endeavour,” Singh said.
He stressed that testing results, particularly in strategic defence applications, must be accurate, reliable and traceable, adding that there could be no compromise on their integrity.
Explaining the importance of Non-Destructive Testing, the defence minister said these technologies help examine the quality and integrity of materials, components and structures without causing any damage to them.
He said that as India’s defence systems become increasingly sophisticated, every critical material, component and manufacturing process must meet the highest standards of quality and reliability.
“Hidden defects can affect operational availability, increase maintenance requirements, reduce the service life of equipment and, in critical situations, jeopardise mission success,” he said.
He said quality and reliability were essential elements of national security, particularly in defence platforms such as missiles, aircraft, naval systems and spacecraft.
Describing self-reliance in defence as a strategic necessity, Singh said India’s achievements in missile development, naval platforms, aerospace engineering, radar systems and space applications reflected the country’s growing scientific and industrial capabilities.
He also cited the commissioning of INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, as an important milestone in the country’s journey towards self-reliance.
Highlighting the role of innovation, Singh said it was not limited to scientific discoveries and new inventions but also involved continuously improving and upgrading existing technologies and systems.
He said initiatives such as Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and the Technology Development Fund (TDF) had encouraged innovation, technological development and experimentation in the defence sector.
The minister also underlined the growing role of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics, Advanced Sensors, Digital Twins and Predictive Analytics in transforming inspection technologies and structural health monitoring.
He said these emerging technologies could improve inspection speed and accuracy, help analyse complex data and identify defects that might remain undetected through conventional methods.
Singh called for integrating established inspection techniques with advanced digital technologies and developing indigenous solutions suited to India’s strategic and industrial requirements.
He also stressed the need for greater investment in research, advanced equipment, software and skilled manpower to strengthen domestic capabilities and help Indian technologies compete in international markets.
Emphasising cooperation among different stakeholders, Singh said innovation flourished when the government, industry, academia and research institutions worked together.
He urged all stakeholders to adopt a coordinated approach towards technological advancement and strategic self-reliance.
The three-day conference, organised by the Indian Society for Non-Destructive Testing in Hyderabad, Telangana, has brought together more than 2,000 professionals, researchers, industry experts and students to discuss the latest developments and applications in NDT.
The event provides a platform for technical discussions, knowledge exchange and collaboration among industry, academia and research institutions, with a focus on strengthening inspection and evaluation capabilities across sectors, including defence and aerospace.—(NVI)
