KARWAR: Chief of Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, on Wednesday said that development of home grown technology in the Indian defence sector should keep pace with global changes.
Speaking after launching the second Mahe class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craf, INS Malvan, at INS Kadamba in Karwar in the presence of Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer, Commander-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, the Air Force Chief said that the technology building is important, but it requires a certain pace.
”Building home grown technology is important. If you have to grow, we must grow at a relevant speed. If you develop and produce something which the world has moved over, it is not relevant. If things have to happen, it must happen at a certain pace, if not it is of no use,” he said. “The research and development has been given big impetus in the last five years. We are in the right direction. If we do not waver from the path, it will be a good game-changer,” he said.
Stating that INS Malvan is a state-of- the-art anti-submarine ship, he said that the Navy has got its seventh ship and many more will be joining it. He appreciated the effort of the Indian Navy for its rapid indigenization programme. “We dreamt of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The Navy has taken to indigenization very early. There is 80% indigenisation in this warship. Only for a few minor components, we are relying outside or co-producing them will be ironed out. Hope the other two services learn something similar, especially, the Air Force must learn how the Navy got the whole concept right. The Navy officers grow as they serve. They render their services even after retirements. The Air Force needs to think upon this,” he said.
INS Malvan is the second indigenously designed ASW-SWC. The ship carries a deep historical and cultural significance as it derives its name from the historical coastal town of Malvan in Maharashtra intrinsically linked to the illustrious maritime heritage of Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj.