Hyderabad/New Delhi, Nov 15 :Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said self-reliance in the defence sector was a strategic necessity for India, asserting that the country must move beyond being a user of advanced technologies to become a developer, innovator and global leader in critical domains.
Virtually addressing the 36th Annual Conference on Non-Destructive Evaluation and Enabling Technologies and the 15th International Symposium on Non-Destructive Testing in Aerospace in Hyderabad, Singh stressed the need to strengthen India’s indigenous Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) ecosystem to enhance defence preparedness and reduce technological dependence.
He called for developing domestic capabilities in advanced inspection technologies, specialised sensors, evaluation equipment and associated software, while emphasising the importance of maintaining stringent quality assurance standards across the defence manufacturing sector.
“Aatmanirbharta in defence is not merely an economic objective but also a strategic necessity,” he said.
The Defence Minister said there could be no compromise on the accuracy, reliability and integrity of testing results, particularly in strategic applications involving critical defence equipment.
He urged public sector undertakings, private manufacturers, start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises to contribute towards building a robust indigenous inspection and testing ecosystem.
Explaining the importance of NDT, Singh said the technology enabled examination of materials, components and structures without damaging them. Similar to how ultrasound and X-rays help examine the human body without surgery, these techniques detect internal defects in critical components without dismantling them, he said.
Referring to India’s growing defence manufacturing capabilities, Singh cited achievements in missile development, naval platforms, aerospace engineering, radar systems and space applications as evidence of the country’s expanding technological strengths.
He described the commissioning of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, as an important milestone in the journey towards self-reliance.
The minister cautioned that hidden defects in defence equipment could affect operational availability, increase maintenance costs, shorten service life and, in critical situations, jeopardise mission success.
He called for moving beyond merely identifying defects towards preventing them by incorporating quality assurance at every stage of manufacturing.
Highlighting emerging technological trends, Singh said Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics, Advanced Sensors, Digital Twins and Predictive Analytics were transforming inspection and structural health monitoring
