Rajnath Singh calls for indigenous NDT technologies to strengthen defence self-reliance

By Aroonim Bhuyan

New Delhi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has called for strengthening India’s indigenous capabilities in Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), emphasising that the country must move beyond being a consumer of advanced technologies to emerge as a developer, innovator and global leader in critical technological domains.

Virtually addressing the 36th Annual Conference on Non-Destructive Evaluation and Enabling Technologies and the 15th International Symposium on Non-Destructive Testing in Aerospace on November 15, he underscored the importance of advanced inspection technologies, stringent quality assurance standards and reliable testing procedures in strengthening India’s defence preparedness and technological self-reliance.

Stressing that the accuracy and integrity of testing results were particularly critical in strategic applications, the Defence Minister said there could be no compromise on the reliability and traceability of inspection processes.

He called for developing indigenous capabilities in advanced inspection technologies, specialised sensors, evaluation equipment and associated software to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and secure critical defence supply chains. He also emphasised the need to establish uniform quality assurance practices across the defence manufacturing ecosystem, involving public sector undertakings, private industry, start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Explaining the significance of NDT, Rajnath Singh said the technology enables the examination of materials, components and structures without causing damage to them. Drawing a parallel with medical ultrasound and X-ray examinations, he explained that NDT techniques help identify internal defects in critical components without dismantling or damaging the equipment.

He said the growing sophistication of India’s defence systems had made stringent quality standards indispensable at every stage, from raw materials and individual components to assemblies and manufacturing processes.

Hidden defects, he cautioned, could undermine the operational availability of military equipment, increase maintenance requirements, shorten service life and, in critical situations, jeopardise mission success. He called for moving beyond a reactive approach of identifying defects to a preventive quality culture in which reliability is built into the manufacturing process from the outset.

The Defence Minister observed that a nation’s technological progress should not be measured merely by its ability to develop new technologies, but also by the quality, reliability and security of the systems it produces. In defence applications involving missiles, aircraft, naval platforms and spacecraft, quality was not simply a manufacturing requirement but a fundamental component of operational effectiveness and national security, he said.

Describing NDT as an important pillar of India’s technological ambitions, Rajnath Singh said achieving self-reliance in defence was not merely an economic objective but a strategic necessity.

Highlighting the country’s expanding indigenous defence capabilities, he referred to advances in missile development, naval platforms, aerospace engineering, radar systems and space applications as evidence of India’s growing scientific and industrial strengths. He cited the commissioning of the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, as a major milestone in the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-reliant India) initiative.

He also stressed that innovation should not be restricted to scientific discoveries or the development of entirely new products. It should equally involve the continuous improvement, modernisation and enhancement of existing technologies and systems.

In this context, he highlighted the role of institutional and policy initiatives such as Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and the Technology Development Fund (TDF) in encouraging technological experimentation, research and innovation. These initiatives, he said, had helped provide a new direction to India’s defence innovation ecosystem.

Pointing to the rapidly changing global security environment, Rajnath Singh said indigenous weapons systems, platforms and their supporting technologies must consistently deliver the highest levels of performance and reliability. He urged professionals in the NDT sector to upgrade their skills and technical capabilities continuously to keep pace with emerging technologies and evolving security requirements.

The Defence Minister also drew attention to the growing role of advanced digital technologies in transforming non-destructive evaluation and structural health monitoring. Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), robotics, advanced sensors, digital twins and predictive analytics were opening up new possibilities for more sophisticated inspection and evaluation processes, he said.

These technologies can improve inspection speed and consistency, facilitate the assessment of complex datasets and identify defects or patterns that conventional testing methods might fail to detect.

Emphasising the need to integrate conventional inspection techniques with advanced digital solutions, he said India should move beyond adopting technologies developed elsewhere and focus on creating indigenous solutions suited to its strategic and industrial requirements.

Greater investment in research and development, advanced inspection equipment, specialised software and skilled manpower would help strengthen domestic capabilities and create opportunities for Indian technologies in international markets, he added.

Rajnath Singh also called for closer coordination among the government, industry, academic institutions and research laboratories, stressing that technological innovation and strategic self-reliance required a whole-of-government and whole-of-ecosystem approach.

The three-day conference, organised by the Indian Society for Non-Destructive Testing in Hyderabad, Telangana, has brought together more than 2,000 professionals, researchers, industry specialists and students.

The event provides a platform for exchanging technical knowledge, discussing emerging developments and fostering collaboration among industry, academia and research institutions. Its deliberations are focused on advancing NDT capabilities, encouraging innovation and promoting the adoption of cutting-edge inspection and evaluation technologies across sectors, particularly defence and aerospace.