Defence Secretary Calls for Stronger Industry-R&D-Academia Collaboration to Boost Armed Forces’ Capabilities
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh speaks at the inaugural STRIDE 2025 seminar on the theme ‘Synergy of Technology, Research & Defence Ecosystem’ organised by Southern Command in Pune on Friday.
Pune, September 13: Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has underlined the need for deeper collaboration between industry, research institutes and academia to enhance the operational capabilities of India’s Armed Forces in a fast-evolving technological landscape. He was speaking at the inaugural STRIDE 2025 seminar on the theme ‘Synergy of Technology, Research & Defence Ecosystem’ organised by Southern Command in Pune on Friday.
“The present wave of technology disruption is changing not just the nature of warfare but also the business of industry. Technological superiority and industrial strength often determine the outcome of war,” Singh said. He stressed that India’s defence industry must grow in step with the broader manufacturing sector to achieve the vision of a $30 trillion economy and Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Highlighting global challenges such as competitive populism, economic protectionism and the decline of multilateral institutions, Singh said India must strengthen its hard power while backing its soft power. He pointed to reforms like the revised Defence Procurement Manual 2009 and Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 that have made processes more dynamic and outcome-focused.
The Defence Secretary urged private players to ramp up investment in R&D and manufacturing, saying innovation and capability growth in defence will not be possible unless the private sector commits to long-term involvement. “Defence is a domain where orders may come sporadically, but with strong technology and engineering capabilities, firms can sustain themselves through domestic and export opportunities,” he said.
Southern Command chief Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth called for a Whole-of-Nation approach to achieving self-reliance in defence. The seminar brought together Armed Forces officers, DRDO representatives, veterans, PSUs, private industry, and academia to chart a roadmap for building an indigenous defence ecosystem.
Key panel discussions explored fast-tracking niche technologies through reverse engineering, industry-funded academic research, catalysing innovation via DRDO, and accelerating manufacturing growth through stronger partnerships. An equipment display of indigenous innovations showcased India’s growing capability to build future-ready defence systems.
The seminar reaffirmed Southern Command’s commitment to the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, fostering synergy across stakeholders to strengthen the national defence ecosystem.
