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India needs long-range missile systems with proper warheads

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

India-Prez-DRDO
India needs 'long-range missile systems in less than ten years with proper warheads taking into account possible conflict zones', Indian President Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam said.

Besides these missiles, India would also need hypersonic cruise missile on long range, nuclear submarines and pilotless supersonic aircraft as also multi-role stealth fighters, Kalam said here Wednesday while addressing the delegates attending the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) 31st Directors' Conference in New Delhi.

"We also need advanced inter-services integrated electronic radiation hardened warfare system and high-end Cryptography", PTI reported here quoting the text of the President's speech.

Asking parliament and the government to set a goal for the nation to be 70 percent self-reliant in armament production by year 2020, Kalam called on the DRDO to imbibe competitive culture.

Pointing out that defense scientists were focusing and developing miniaturized technologies in the shape of Nano, Information (ICT) and Biotechnology, the president asked DRDO to offload its widespread basket of system development and to concentrate on strategic and frontier technologies.

"You must look for production partners from both public and private sector establishments from within and outside India," Kalam told the scientists and also called on DRDO to revitalize linkages with universities and advanced institutions in the Model of Joint Advanced Technology Program (JATP).

In an apparent reference to time and cost overruns in major armament programs, the president told the defense scientists that they should stick to commitments for weapons systems to be delivered to three services and also to production partners.

He advised that DRDO should have have short-term goals for five years and long-term goals of 15 years to develop a vision based on threat perception and technological forecasting.

Kalam, who spoke to young DRDO scientists separately, said 30 percent of defense scientists, particularly younger ones should concentrate on long-term strategic programs.

Scramjet technologies, hypersonic dynamics, high mach re-entry heat shield structures, Nano computers were other fields identified by the president for DRDO to focus.

He also said that DRDO would have to firm up joint ventures for partners within India and abroad for weapon design development and for production of systems and marketing.

Earlier, the defense minister told the DRDO that more stringent accountability along with greater transparency would have to be enforced in all weapons system development projects.

During the day-long conference, chief controllers of the country's major weapons system projects gave a resume of their projects including in development of long-range missiles, efforts to develop missile defense system, development of cruise missiles and nuclear submarine project.

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