Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday declared that technological leadership would define strategic advantage in future warfare, stressing that the imagination of today would become tomorrow’s military capabilities.

Speaking at the DRDO-hosted ‘Vimarsh 2026’ event at Dr D.S. Kothari Auditorium in DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi, Singh said the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047 was not only about building an economically strong nation but also about creating a technologically self-reliant, socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and strategically secure India.

He emphasised that the defence sector was the cornerstone of this vision. By 2047, India must achieve self-reliance in critical technologies, significantly increase indigenous content, expand defence exports multi-fold, and secure a strong presence in the global supply chain.

Singh underlined that such goals could not be achieved without collaboration, urging greater partnership among all stakeholders in the sector. He said the synergy between DRDO and industry should not remain confined to production but must extend to research, design, testing, certification, and the entire manufacturing value chain.

He insisted that MSMEs and Start-Ups must be made integral components of this value chain alongside large industries. He noted that emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and drones, would play a decisive role in future warfare, and urged the sector to accelerate innovation.

Referring to the viral ‘in the 80s’ AI-driven trend online, Singh remarked that while AI today can render images of the past, true joy would be when it could present an image of the future 40–50 years ahead. He encouraged stakeholders to work towards such imagination, saying that envisioning India’s future itself would energise enthusiasm.

He stressed that companies investing in new and emerging technologies would emerge as technology leaders in the future. He said India must not only imagine the technology of tomorrow but develop it today, because in future warfare only the country leading in technology would secure strategic advantage.

The event was attended by senior DRDO officials and representatives of defence industry firms. Singh said the partnership between DRDO and industry could transform India into a global hub for defence manufacturing, adding that there was no alternative.

He highlighted that reforms in the defence sector over the past few decades had been unprecedented. He explained that self-reliance was not merely about developing machinery, parts, or platforms, but about cultivating a mindset. He said the soul, mind, thought, and consciousness must all be imbued with the idea of Atmanirbharta.

Singh asserted that the country which possesses its own technology has the power to build its future. He praised Start-Ups and MSMEs, describing them as new flag-bearers of the defence sector. He said they were innovative, agile, and disrupting traditional defence models.

He added that MSMEs must focus on quality, delivery, innovation, and global standards, while strengthening partnerships with larger industries. He said a new wave of defence Start-Ups was emerging in India, and they would play a critical role in achieving the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

PTI