National Security Adviser Ajit Doval along with Chiefs of three services on Tuesday asked the Defence Research and Development Organisation to be ready for future wars entailing different technology and suggested what conflict could mean some years down the line.

The NSA and the three Chiefs along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were at the DRDO ‘Directors Conference’ here. “The two-day conference that began today will debate multiple issues,” said DRDO Chairman Dr G Sateesh Reddy as the country’s top defence scientists heard out what the forces wanted.

The conference will be deliberating the way forward and the future needs. It will see industry collaboration, service requirements and how the academia will pitch in.

“Start preparing for a non-contact war… If you don’t think now, it will be too late,” said Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, asking the DRDO to focus on cyber, space, laser, robotics and artificial intelligence.

Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Air Force Chief, suggested, “In five years, no one will talk about stealth. The radar development is such that it will pick up even ‘low radar cross section’ (military parlance for picking up stealth features). We will need data fusion, superb radars and ability to quickly launch missiles.”

The IAF Chief, who has been a test pilot for light combat aircraft Tejas was effusive in praise. “The LCA helped technology grow, it's the best we have. The fly by wire and composites that are now 40 percentage of the structures will help in future,” he said.

Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh made specific suggestions. He said the goal of getting local products to replace imported ones was best left to industry and the DRDO could focus on state-of-the-art weapons. “See, how an organisation like the DARPA of the US became a reality,” he said. The DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is responsible for development of emerging technologies for use by the military.

For his part, the Defence Minister heaped praise on former President and DRDO ex-Chairman Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on the occasion of his birth anniversary. He unveiled a bust of Dr Kalam at the main entrance of the DRDO. “We have to be operationally ready and reduce dependence on imports,” said the minister.