The Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS), Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh, visited the defence manufacturing units of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Limited and Bharat Forge Limited in Pune. During the visit, he was briefed on new and emerging defence technologies being developed in line with the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-Reliant India).
New Delhi: As a significant step towards further strengthening India’s defence capabilities, the Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS), Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh, conducted a visit to Pune. During this visit, he inspected the defence production units of the country’s leading defence manufacturing companies, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Limited and Bharat Forge Limited.
The tour is seen as connected to efforts to promote indigenous defence technologies under the Government of India's ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India (Defence)’ vision.
Review of Indigenous Defence Technologies
During his visit to Pune, Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh was given detailed information about the new and emerging defence technologies being developed by both companies. He was informed about how the Indian defence industry is developing state-of-the-art platforms and systems keeping in mind the requirements of modern warfare.
On this occasion, the progress of projects related to robotics, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), drone technology, and modern artillery platforms was reviewed. These technologies all have a crucial role to play in multiplying the Indian Army’s capability and effectiveness on the future battlefield.
Focus on Challenges of the Changing Battlefield
The Vice Chief of the Army Staff, referring to the changing global and regional security landscape, stated that today’s battlefield is no longer limited to conventional battles. Cyber warfare, drone attacks, precision strike weapons, and automation have now become an integral part of modern warfare. He emphasized that it is extremely important for the Indian Army to be technologically capable and self-reliant to deal with future challenges. In such a scenario, the role of the indigenous defence industry becomes even more important.
Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh praised the efforts of Indian companies like L&T and Bharat Forge. He said that the contribution of the defence industry in providing the armed forces with state-of-the-art and world-class capabilities is commendable. He also said that the participation of the private sector has not only improved the quality of defence production, but has also resulted in benefits such as self-reliance, cost reduction, and faster supply.
