India now 'Atmanirbhar' in missile technology: DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman G Satheesh Reddy on Tuesday claimed that India is now completely self-reliant with regards to missile technology. Reddy asserted that the country has become 'Atmanirbhar' (self-reliant) in the field and could work solo on missions. The DRDO chief recalled the evolution of the organisation from yesteryears and praised scientists including former president APJ Abdul Kalam for making the feat possible.

Delivering a lecture at an online event hosted by the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Reddy said that the country is now self-reliant in the field of missile technology and added that the country must now work on 'advanced technology.' Reddy hailed the role of scientists in the 1980s and 90s, including former president APJ Abdul Kalam, known as the 'Missile Man of India', for providing a "quantum jump" in the development of advanced systems and platforms.

'India has joined the elite club of countries'

The DRDO chief during the lecture listed the advancements India has made in the field in recent years. "We developed Prithvi, Agni, Akash, Trishul, Nag under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Agni was also a technology demonstrator for the country in going out of the atmosphere and returning to the atmosphere. And, then we joined a select club of countries with ballistic missiles which can intercept an enemy missile and kill it," Reddy said.

"Today I can confidently say that we are having complete 'Atmanirbharta' in the missile technology, and we can develop the most advanced missiles in the country," Reddy said.

He added that the anti-satellite (A-SAT) had a successful test in India in March 2019, making the country compete with the elite club of countries including the US, Russia and China in the field. Reddy, who is the secretary in the Department of Defence R&D also added that the IAF had recently ordered 83 LCA Tejas aircraft, underlining the importance of developing indigenous technology.

'Drone technology is coming up': DRDO chief

The DRDO chief said that drone-based weapons are taking a large space in the field of defence and added that anti-drone technology has been demonstrated by the organisation. "Drone technology is coming up in a big way, and drone-based weapons is also taking a big shape. It had been seen that in the recent conflict also, drone-based technology played a role. A lot of players in the industry are working on it, and a lot of systems are being developed, particularly by the youth," Reddy said while answering a question on the growing role of drones. He added that the DRDO is working together with 300 or more academic institutions in order to make institutions play a larger role in achieving the vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

(With inputs from PTI, Image: PTI/ ANI)