NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 15: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday emphasised the need to ensure quality and reliability at every stage of defence manufacturing, calling for a shift from merely detecting defects to preventing them through stronger quality-control practices.
Addressing the 36th Annual Conference on Non-Destructive Evaluation and Enabling Technologies and the 15th International Symposium on Non-Destructive Testing in Aerospace virtually, Singh said India had made significant progress in strengthening its indigenous defence ecosystem.
He highlighted the country’s achievements in missile development, naval platforms, aerospace engineering, radar systems and space applications, saying these developments reflected the growing capabilities of Indian scientists, engineers, production agencies and industry partners.
Singh described the commissioning of INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously designed and constructed aircraft carrier, as a major milestone in the country’s defence manufacturing journey. He also cited advancements in indigenous missile technology and space systems as evidence of India’s expanding scientific and industrial capabilities.
The Defence Minister said these achievements had brought greater responsibility to maintain the highest standards of quality and reliability across defence production.
He cautioned that hidden defects in critical materials, components, assemblies or manufacturing processes could affect the operational readiness of defence equipment, increase maintenance requirements and shorten its service life. In critical situations, such defects could also jeopardise mission success.
Singh stressed that quality assurance must be integrated into every stage of manufacturing, rather than relying solely on inspections to identify defects after they occur.
Referring to the conference theme, ‘Innovation for Strategic and Economic Excellence’, he said it reflected India’s ambition to become technologically advanced, industrially strong, strategically secure and globally competitive.
He added that national progress depended not only on developing advanced technology but also on ensuring the quality, reliability and security of systems, particularly in strategic sectors such as defence, where failures could have far-reaching consequences.
Singh also informed the gathering that he was unable to attend the event in person due to viral fever and joined the proceedings virtually. He congratulated the leadership of the Indian Society for Non-Destructive Testing, the organising committee and everyone involved in organising the conference.
