PTI

New Delhi, May 15: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said the country would soon embark upon production of futuristic weapons systems.

Singh said that India needed cutting edge technology weapons in sensors, robotics, propulsion systems, stealth and fighting wars through use of remote technology.

Observing that India's indigenous defence research was gaining in confidence, the Prime Minister impressed upon scientists that such confidence was essential to keep pace with evolution of dual use technologies denied to the country for long.

Futuristic weapon systems

The Prime Minister said such futuristic weapons systems were also needed to contend with transnational actors and unconventional forces, which were emerging as threats to the international order.

"We also plan to go in for precision guided munitions as well as unmanned vehicle technologies in the 11th and 12th plan period," Singh said as he gave away awards of excellence to country's top defence scientists.

Commercial viability

Emphasising that DRDO had to bring commercial value to the laboratory both directly and indirectly, the Prime Minister suggested to Defence scientists that weapons production should also have commercial spin-offs, which would generate profits to be recycled into more effective research.

"We must link industry, consumers and even our defence industry in a virtuous circle which benefits all players," the Prime Minister said.

Cost over-runs

Expressing concern over the problems of costs and time over-runs, the Prime Minister said these had plagued our defence industry for decades now.

"Each project that undergoes cost and time over-runs is also siphoning virtually required resources away from other defence projects and ultimately, from our nation's poor," Singh told the scientists.

The prime minister also expressed concern at the flight of scientific talent from the country.