NEW DELHI: Bharat today is armed with state-of-the-art technology in the Defence sector, Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh said on Sunday.

Unlike in the past, our Armed Forces are equipped with advanced weaponry including drones, heliborne operations and UAVs and are ready to adapt to new frontiers like Quantum Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security, he said.

Dr Jitendra was addressing “Indian Military Heritage Festival”, organised by the United Service Institution of India (USI) in New Delhi.

The Minister said, India is at par with the leading nations in adapting new disruptive technologies that have the potential to transform the defence landscape. This not only enhances the country’s national security but also positions India as a global technology leader in the defence sector. “Gone are the times when our forces were using outdated weapons. We are among the seven elite countries in the world that are into Quantum Technology,” he said, adding, “With this view, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the National Quantum Mission in March this year.”

The S&T Minister said, ‘i-Hub Quantum’, set up at IISER, Pune, is working in the area of Quantum Technologies and developing atom interferometry-based sensing and navigation devices; TIH at IIT Madras, namely, IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation is working on developing a secure mobile phone for defence personnel; TIH at IIT Roorkee, namely, iHUB Divya Sampark supporting IDR Doot Mk-1, India’s first indigenous Nano drone for helping Indian Armed forces during counter terrorist/counter insurgency and room intervention operations; i-Hub Quantum, set up at IISER, Pune working in the area of Quantum Technologies developing atom interferometry-based sensing and navigation devices; TIH at IIT Mandi, namely, Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Foundation developing the Naval Combat Management System (NCMS), TIH at IISc Bengaluru developing integrated robotic joint actuators for precise control of automation systems etc.

“He has established India’s role as a nation which is no longer going to be led, but is ready to lead,” said Dr Jitendra Singh.