NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday exhorted the Commanders of the Indian navy to delve deeper and focus into the “critical” areas of technology for indigenisation, where the country lags.
Speaking at the first edition of the Naval Commanders’ Conference of 2019 —scheduled from April 23-25 — Sitharaman urged the Navy to lead the military in capturing the ‘spirit of indigenisation’ and encouraged senior Commanders of the force to harness the experience of retiring Naval officials to strengthen institutional and indigenous capabilities in designing and developing components needed in warships.
“The Defence Minister expressed satisfaction on Navy’s indigenisation process and said that time has come to focus on the critical technologies which the force needs and are difficult to procure from outside,” said a Naval officer who attended the event.
Sitharaman also advised those present to consider identifying Indian startups to realise the recommendations of the Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, for long term benefits.
The conference is the apex forum within the service for interaction between the top brass.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, with the Commanders-in-Chief, will review major operations, logistics, Human Resources, training and administrative activities undertaken during the previous six months and deliberate upon the course to be steered in the ensuing six months.
While she was speaking at the event, Sitharaman appreciated the naval force’s efforts in the Indian Ocean and the Indo –Pacific regions as well as in military diplomacy, humanitarian assistance and Disaster Relief, among others.
Sitharaman also put in a good word for the Indian Navy’s rapid transition from annual Theatre Level Readiness and Operational Exercise (TROPEX 20019) to operational mode, post the Pulwama attack when 40 CRPF Troopers were killed on 14 February this year.