NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh dedicated to the nation a number of new manufacturing facilities set up by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) in Telangana on Saturday.
The new units inaugurated at BDL’s Bhanur and Kanchan Bagh facilities will manufacture warhead and radio frequency seeker, respectively. The RF Seeker facility, which was inaugurated virtually, is an integrated centre set by BDL with an investment of Rs 50 crore for the production and testing of equipment.
Seeker is a critical and technology intensive subsystem which will be used in all future missiles for target tracking. With this new unit, BDL has joined the elite club select few companies across the globe to have the capability to produce the seekers.
Addressing researchers, engineers, and technicians of the BDL, Singh said the inauguration is a testament to the commitment of India’s defence public sector undertakings. He applauded BDL for manufacturing products indigenously in collaboration with foreign companies.
He also commanded BDL for working on the research and development of the third-generation anti-tank guided missile, Amogha. The company has been an important part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme started under Missile Man of India and former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in the 1980s,” he told the gathering.
“The programme reduced our dependence on foreign countries in the field of missile development and sowed the seeds of self-reliance. Dr Kalam once said ‘In this world, fear has no place. Only strength respects strength’. BDL is working with dedication and hard work towards making Dr Kalam’s dreams come true,” the defence minister added.
Reiterating that making the Indian armed forces agile, fit, modern is the Modi government’s top priority, Singh described the Agnipath recruitment scheme as a revolutionary reform “which is in the interest of the country, the armed forces and the youth”.
“We studied the defence systems of many countries and finalised our plan by aligning these findings with our ground realities. Indian Air Force has received a large number of applications under the Agnipath scheme. A similar response is expected in the other services as well. Our youth should come forward and take advantage of this golden opportunity to serve the country,” he said.