Rajnath Singh approves new DRDO PM-2020 to facilitate indigenous Defence Industry

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday approved the new DRDO Procurement Manual-2020 to facilitate the indigenous Defence Industry and to further its goal of achieving 'self-reliance'. Sharing the news on Twitter, Rajnath Singh revealed that the DRDO Procurement Manual-2020 will help simplify the processes in the Defence Industry and boost its participation in design and development activities. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for an 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' would also get a push through the changes that were introduced in PM-2020. 

"The PM-2020 would help encourage the participation of the Indian Industry including start-ups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Research and Development activity of the Defence Industry," said the Defence Minister's Office in a tweet. It would also help the industry to achieve the goal of self-reliance in Defence, it added. 

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Read: DRDO Chief Says 'It's Now Able To Produce Any Missile That Armed Forces Want'

DRDO achieves self-reliance in missiles 

The DRDO has had a very successful run over the last few months and has been achieving newer and bigger milestones every day. In a massive achievement, the DRDO conducted 10 successful missile tests in a span of five weeks, by mid-October. These include the Shaurya hypersonic missile, BrahMos extended-range missile, Prithvi nuclear-capable ballistic missile, Hypersonic missile technology development vehicles, Rudram I anti-radiation missile and the Supersonic Missile Assisted Release Torpedo weapon system.

DRDO Chief G Satheesh Reddy shared the organisation's contribution towards an 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' saying, "I can very confidently tell that we are strong and we are completely self-reliant in the areas of missiles, radars, electronic warfare systems, torpedos, guns, and communication systems and so on. We are helping the industry in a big way and lifting them up with various systems which they need to develop on their own.  

"The DRDO was given 108 items completely designed and developed by the industry. We have instituted technology fund to support such industries and we have given our test facilities open to them. Now, we are taking industry partners right from the beginning of the projects," he said. 

Read: DRDO Test Fires Laser-Guided Anti-Tank Guided Missile, 2nd Such Successful Test In A Week

Read: DRDO Successfully Tests Supersonic Missile Assisted Release Of Torpedo; Defence Min Lauds