HYDERABAD: India’s ability to develop indigenous and emerging technologies will be central to strengthening its defence capabilities, former Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman Samir V Kamat said.
Addressing the 26th convocation of the University of Hyderabad (UoH) on Thursday, Kamat spoke about the transformation of defence technology and the need for sustained collaboration among academia, research institutions and industry.
The university conferred 1,721 degrees across disciplines, including 300 PhDs, and awarded 178 medals for academic excellence.
Referring to Operation Sindoor, Kamat said the effectiveness of military operations was backed by a technological ecosystem built through indigenous research. Sensors, unmanned platforms, secure communication systems, AI-assisted technologies and precision weapon systems were among the capabilities, he highlighted.
Kamat said India’s defence research ecosystem had developed systems including the Agni missile series, Light Combat Aircraft, airborne early warning and control systems, Arjun main battle tank, Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher and Akash air-defence system.
Looking ahead, Kamat identified hypersonic missiles, advanced combat aircraft, air-to-air missiles, autonomous underwater vehicles, space technologies, directed-energy weapons, quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, cyber-physical systems and advanced materials as key areas of research.
He also stressed the role of education and innovation in developing cutting-edge technologies, noting that DRDO had established young scientist laboratories focused on quantum technologies, smart materials, cyber-physical systems and AI.
Urging graduates to prepare for a rapidly changing technological landscape, Dr Kamat said graduation marked the beginning of a new phase of learning. He called on students to continuously upgrade their skills, take calculated risks and learn from failures.
Telangana Governor and Chief Rector Shiv Pratap Shukla urged the graduates to make meaningful use of the knowledge and skills acquired during their academic journey.