Slowdown will not hit defence modernisation, says Antony

Bangalore, Feb 9 (PTI) The current economic slowdown
would not hurt the modernisation programme of India's armed
forces in any way, Defence Minister A K Antony said Monday and
also announced the Government's willingness to spend more on
Defence Research and Development.

Antony, responding to Air Chief Marshal F H Major who
spoke earlier stressing on defence modernisation at an
international seminar here, said, "we will provide you what
ever you want to safeguard India's national interests."

The minister categorically said that the economic
slowdown would not affect modernisation of the armed forces.

But he said the country is "far far away" from Jawaharlal
Nehru's dream of India becoming self-reliant in the defence
sector. He also pointed out that only 30 per cent of India's
defence needs are met within the country, while 70 per cent
are imported.

He said that a country like India, which boasts of the
"fourth largest scientific group" and is "growing like
anything", depending on foreign sources for most defence items
is "not suitable for us".

Antony said he feels "guilty" that growth --as far as
indigenous development and production of defence items are
concerned-- is "very, very slow".

Antony said the Defence Ministry spends only six per cent
of its budget on Research and Development (R&D) and added that
the government realised the importance of enhancing it. At the
same time, public and private industries in the defence sector
should also increase R & D spend, he said.

The minister expressed happiness over the success of the
Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) christened Dhruv, designed and
developed in India. He said two years ago there were "many
doubting Thomases" who said it won't be a success. But today,
there is a great demand for ALH.

Even Armed forces are finding it difficult to procure it
as there is demand for ALH from the Home Ministry, various
state governments, as well as many countries.

Meanwhile, Antony told the three-day seminar, conducted
biennially with Asia's biggest air show 'Aero India 2009'
which gets underway here on Wednesday, that unconventional
means of warfare used by terrorists as seen in the 9/11
attacks and the recent terror attack on Mumbai demand a
calibrated international response.

"Technology has to be backed up by a proactive response
from the government and the civil society in unison," he told
the inaugural function of the event, organised by the Defence
Research and Development Organisation in association with the
Aeronautical Society of India. PTI RS
RAI
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