NATIONAL AWARDS FOR INDIGENISATION
OF DEFENCE STORES PRESENTED
The Defence Minister
has called for Joint efforts between the Public Sector and Private
Sector to explore the market for Defence Stores/Equipment abroad.
Speaking at the National Awards presentation ceremony for indigenisation
of Defence Stores in New Delhi today, Shri George Fernandes said
that we should also try to find out the requirements of foreign
buyers before going for domestic production of important defence
items. He said expanded market could make items cost effective.
Complementing the
private sector for their efforts in the field of indigenisation
of Defence Stores, Shri Fernandes said that still a lot has to
be done in this field. In this context he quoted the example of
tyre sector. The Defence Minister said that the contribution of
private sector in indigenisation efforts is no less than that
of public sector. Citing the example of Light Combat Aircraft
‘Tejas’ he said that over 120 private sector companies
have contributed in its development. However, the Minister noted
with regret that indigenously developed items like Advanced Light
Helicopter are not getting adequate orders from the domestic users.
In this context he also quoted the example of MBT Arjun and said
that we should ponder over this issue very seriously. The Defence
Minister was of the opinion that all indigenously developed Defence
Stores should be utilized to its maximum capacity. Unless we do
this in our own country we won’t be able to market our items abroad,
he added.
Earlier the Defence
Minister gave away the awards for the year 2000-02 to eight firms.
The first prize under
the Mechanical Engineering category was awarded jointly to M/s
Chaturvedi Tools & Equipment Private Ltd, Bangalore and M/s
Dass Hitachi Ltd, New Delhi. M/s Chaturvedi Tools has been given
the award for Indigenisation of the slotted Waveguide Array Antenna
which is the work force of most of the tactical aircraft radars
and missile systems deployed in the field. Very few firms all
over the world have the technology to design and manufacture this
class of complicated state of the art antennas. M/s Dass Hitachi
Ltd has successfully developed integrated field shelters, an underground
system for protection in NBC warfare environment. The task entailed
absorption of sophisticated technology and creating in house manufacturing
and testing facilities. The second prize under this category went
to M/s Sec Industries Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad for indigenously manufactured
Airframe Sections of Prithvi Missiles, utilizing contour stretch
forming technology.
In the Electrical
and Electronic Engineering category the first prize went to M/s
Design Centre for Electronic Systems (Pvt) Ltd, Kolkata for developing
and assembling the time code generator, a complex and high technology
item. The Equipment has application in operation of radars electro
optical tracking system, telemetry system and communication control
during each mission of Flight Testing and Validation of Range
equipment. The second prize in this category went to M/s Applied
Electro Magnetics Pvt Ltd, New Delhi for indigenous development
of Disk Drive Emulator System for Automatic Test Equipment Complex,
used for testing major LRUs of Mirage 2000 Avionics equipment.
In Textile, Chemical
& Rubber Technology category the first prize went to M/s MRF
Ltd, Chennai, Tamil Nadu for successfully designing and developing
Sand cum Highway Tubeless Tyres for SCANIA, which is a specialized
Vehicle utilized for towing of Bofors Gun.
In General and Miscellaneous
Engineering category, the first prize is jointly shared by M/s
Joseph Leslie Drager Mfg Pvt Ltd, Mumbai and M/s Surya Aerotech
Industries, New Delhi. M/s Joseph Leslie Drager Mfg Pvt Ltd has
successfully developed the items for providing individual protection
to troops from toxic gases, radioactive dust and bacterial micro-organism
under NBC Warfare environment. The firm has developed these items
at almost one-third of the imported cost. M/s Surya Aerotech industries
has successfully developed servicing of a critical item, Nitrogen
Bottles used in Matra Missile Launcher in MIG aircraft hitherto
done by M/s Matra, France. It involved setting up of exclusive
facility for dismantling, condition – assessment, repairs as necessary,
reassembling, ultra pressure testing and environmental qualification.
The first prize carries a cash award of Rs. 50,000 along with
a scroll of honour and the second prize Rs. 30,000 with scroll
of honour.
The Minister of State
for Defence Production and Supplies Shri O Rajgopal presided over
the function. The Secretary Defence Production and Supplies Smt
Uma Pillai and Director General Quality Assurance Lt Gen MK Chari
also spoke on the occasion.
The scheme of National
Awards for indigenisation of Defence Stores and Equipment has
been introduced by the Department of Defence Production and Supplies,
Ministry of Defence for excellence in indigenisation of civil
sector. It aims at recognizing the efforts put in by the Indian
Industry in meeting Defence requirements, which are being imported
and to motivate them for indigenisation in the state-of-the-art
technologies.
