Defence Secretary Addresses a Seminar Organised by Southern Command

• Enhanced industry-R&D institutes-academia collaboration is key to increasing defence capabilities in today’s evolving times: Defence Secretary

• “Technological superiority & industrial strength often determine the outcome of war”

New Delhi. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has called for enhanced collaboration among the public & private industry, research institutes like DRDO and the academia to increase the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces in today’s constantly-evolving times. He was addressing the inaugural STRIDE 2025 seminar on the theme ‘Synergy of Technology, Research & Defence Ecosystem’ organised by Southern Command in Pune, Maharashtra on September 12, 2025. Underlining that the present technology disruption is increasingly changing not just the nature of warfare, but also the business of industry, he exhorted all the stakeholders to stay abreast of the latest technological trends and work together to achieve the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

The Defence Secretary emphasised that technological superiority and industrial strength often determine the outcome of war, and there is a need to ensure that the defence industry grows a pace with the rest of our manufacturing sector to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat and $30 trillion economy by 2047. “The transition is critical to the broader issue of becoming a developed nation of innovation, enhancing India’s startup culture, widening our industrial base, increasing the share of manufacturing in our GDP, and generating employment and the spin-off benefits that come from the dual use of technology,” he added.

Mr. Rajesh Kumar Singh pointed out that the ongoing conflicts have resulted in  competitive populism and economic protectionism around the world, accompanied by economic fragmentation, the decline of multilateral institutions, and a growing tide of nationalism. In this context, he said, “there is a need to back our soft power as hard power is becoming more and more critical.”

The Defence Secretary enumerated the steps taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government to ensure that the country stays ahead in the technological race. The measures include the revision of the Defence Procurement Manual 2009 and Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 to make them more dynamic, proactive, less process-heavy, and more focused on outcome. “There is a need to reduce entry barriers for the private sector and start-ups, encourage grassroots innovation, and ensure competitive bidding. The intent is to broaden and diversify India’s defence industrial base,” he said.

Appreciating the role of the private industry in bolstering the defence sector and making it self-reliant, Mr. Rajesh Kumar Singh urged them to increase investments in R&D and manufacturing capacity. He pointed out that the defence sector will not able to witness the scale of innovation and capability that the Armed Forces need, unless the private sector has the willingness to stay the mile and make investments. “Defence is a domain wherein you get orders on a sporadic basis. but if you possess the technology and engineering strength, you will be able to sustain yourself through a combination of domestic and export orders,” he said.

In his address, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth highlighted the importance of a Whole-of-Nation approach to achieve self-reliance indefence capabilities.

The event brought together distinguished experts from the Armed Forces, veterans, scholars, representatives of DRDO, Public Sector Undertakings, private industry and academia, with the aim of charting a roadmap for an indigenous defence ecosystem covering R&D, production, maintenance, and innovation. The seminar featured engaging panel discussions on key themes including:

• Fast-tracking niche technologies through reverse engineering and industry funding for academic research.
• Strengthening the role of DRDO in catalysing indigenous innovation.
• Accelerating defence manufacturing growth through enhanced collaboration among private industry, PSUs, and academia.

A vibrant equipment display was organised as part of the event, showcasing cutting-edge indigenous innovations, promoting collaboration and partnerships towards building future-ready capabilities.

The seminar reaffirmed Southern Command’s commitment to driving the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, fostering synergy across stakeholders, and strengthening the national defence ecosystem at both regional & national levels.