Private firms must come into missile technology

BANGALORE/HYDERBAD:  Hit by delays and accusations of being a ‘non-delivering’ unit from the Services and the media, India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) seems to have finally woken up. The opening up of the defence sector and the touchdown of more players into the arena have probably got them closer to the truth that they need the massive backing of India’s public and private industries to bail them out of the slow-syndrome.P Venugopalan, director of Hyderabad-based Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) told Express that the DRDO needed multiple agencies to propel the missile programmes. “Be it strategic or tactical in nature, we want more agencies in India to absorb the technologies and produce the missiles in large numbers. Private industry should come into missile technologies in a big way. The success of Akash missile system is a classic example of private sector participation. We have no production mandate, except in strategic missiles,” he said.Currently, the tactical missiles are produced in bulk by Hyderabad-based Bharat Dynamics Limited.Venugopalan said a minimum of two vendors would have to be identified for every project. “This will ensure quality and on-time deliveries. We want to be a major player, wherever there is a joint development. We have the confidence now. Joint development has minimum risk too,” he said.Batting for automated manufacturing technologies in missile production, the DRDO’s ‘Outstanding Scientist’ said a fast-track line production should come to the fore. “We cannot fund the private sector in a big way as the government policies do not allow us now. We should be given the freedom to chose between private and public sector in a transparent manner. The Indian Space Research Organisation does it. Some guidelines can be put in to identify private industries so as to evaluate their capabilities. Hand-holding is the key and we are ready to travel a long way with the industries,” he said.When asked why DRDO’s missile programmes were always running behind the schedules, Venugopalan felt the need for a new thought-process while planning missile production. “We tend to give short-time schedules and this needs to be changed. Right now we do not have a choice to go for multiple agencies. Private industries want firm orders as the investments are huge. Development and production planning has to be concurrent. Our development cycle is shortening. The change in defence policy has also helped,” he said.He said the Services had started to repose faith in the DRDO, from a ‘no-faith scenario’ of the past. “From a time when the DRDO was highly mistrusted, there is a sudden change in the way people and Services look at us. We cannot put unrealistic targets. In next 10 years more than 10,000 tactical missiles need to be produced at a cost of Rs 80,000 crore. The only way to get deliveries on time is to get into a production tie-up with major industry partners. Industry must have a strong R&D group too,” he said.He wanted the government to get a long-term commitment from the Services, while ordering home-grown systems.  “There are lots of problems with the life-cycle support for the imported missiles,” he said.(Tomorrow: Bravehearts with programme Air  Defence)