Pranab for better DRDO, armed forces interface

The Minister's instructions come in the wake of spate of complaints raised by armed forces.

In a new move to synergise development of advanced weapons systems and platforms in the country, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee has instructed adopting a "collegium approach" for solving cross-cutting issues.

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Under the new approach, the Minister has instructed that officials of various departments under him including defence scientists and officers from armed forces to sit across and deliberate when development of major new weapons systems is taken up.

Addressing officials from major Defence Public Sector Undertakings, while reviewing their performances, Mukherjee asked the Chief Executives to put in place "appropriate mechanism" to absorb the inflow of hi-tech technology when proposals for deals worth over Rs 300 crore come into action.

The Minister's instructions come in the wake of spate of complaints raised by armed forces about they not being consulted by the DRDO when it starts development of new weapon systems.

Mukherjee told the Defence PSUs' officials that the offset policy would open doors for them for upgrading technology as well as means to boost up defence exports.