DRDO Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy speaks at CII-Telangana’s Defence Conclave

Telangana is emerging as a tech leader in defence and aerospace in the country with a focus on innovation and research, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy said on Wednesday.

Addressing CII-Telangana’s Defence Conclave, he said presence of many defence research labs in Hyderabad served as a big boost to development of defence suppliers companies in the State.

A CII release said he told the conference that in many technologies such as missiles, radars and electronic warfare systems India had become self-reliant and many critical products were being manufactured in Hyderabad. The Centre through its proactive policies was promoting indigenous technology development through Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, he said.

The conference had ‘Revisiting Strategies for Self Reliance by Integrating India’s Defence Value Chain’ as its theme and was held on a virtual platform.

Industries and IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said Hyderabad was home to many defence and aerospace companies supplying products to globally renowned companies.

There is a need for the entire spectrum to go up in the value chain through element of specialisation, invest in improved technology to reach the top level in defence manufacturing. The local companies need to mutually support each other and big companies need to pull up the small companies to move in the ladder, he said.

Director – Aerospace and Defence of Ernst and Young LLP Colonel K V Kuber said while defence manufacturing has matured in Hyderabad, there is a need for more testing facilities in the State. Testing facilities need to be considered as national assets.