Private sector role must to help country develop indigenous weapon systems: Former Air Chief

There is a need to provide a level playing field to the private sector industry to help the country produce indigenous weapon systems for the country, former Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal (Rtd) RKS Bhadauria said on Wednesday.

Bhadauria was delivering the first General Bipin Rawat Memorial Lecture here on the occasion of country's first Chief of Defence Staff's 64thbirth anniversary.

"Gen Rawat was a big advocate of self reliance. He would say that in case of war, we will be able to win only through indigenous weapons. He also laid stress that private sector industry should be given a level playing field along with the public sector units to help the country produce indigenous weapon systems for the country," he said

The former Chief of Air Staff called for defining goals for the country's aim to achieve self reliance in defence sector.

"To my mind, the most critical area is to understand what do we really want and what should we aim at and then ultimately be able to define what is required to achieve atmanirbharta (self reliance).

"I don't think so there will be anyone today who will not agree with need and importance of atmanirbharta but what do we want from atmanirbharta as far as defence is concerned, is what we need to define. I believe it is the ability to do entire design and development which should be our next phase towards self reliance," he said.

Bhadauria said that a lot needs to be done in all areas that are critical in terms of technology and all areas that are niche.

"This is critical as we go forward, the ability to do everything on your own. You have designed an equipment but imported certain products..there should be no chip working without your knowledge. If we have achieved this, we have achieved a huge step of self reliance in equipment and design.

"Be it testing and certification, we need to target what we have to achieve and in testing and certification is important to steer any conflict of interest....we must treat our testing ad certification agencies as national assets," he said.

Bhadauria advocated promotion of Indian leadership in the field of software and cyberspace and said there was scope for india to become global leader in this domain.

( With inputs from ANI )