New Delhi [India], November 15 (ANI): Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday called for embedding quality at every stage of defence manufacturing, urging a shift from merely identifying defects to actively preventing them, while addressing the 36th Annual Conference on Non-Destructive Evaluation and Enabling Technologies and the 15th International Symposium on Non-Destructive Testing in Aerospace virtually.

Addressing the 36th Annual Conference, Singh said India had made significant progress in strengthening its indigenous defence ecosystem.

He cited the country's achievements in missile development, naval platforms, aerospace engineering, radar systems and space applications, which he said reflected the growing capabilities of Indian scientists, engineers, production agencies and industry partners.

'India has made significant progress in strengthening its indigenous defence ecosystem. Our achievements in missile development, naval platforms, aerospace engineering, radar systems, and space applications reflect the growing capabilities of our scientists, engineers, production agencies, and industry partners,' he said.

The Defence Minister described the commissioning of India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, designed and constructed in the country, as an important milestone. He also highlighted progress in indigenous missile technology and space systems as evidence of India's scientific and industrial capabilities.

'The commissioning of India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, designed and constructed in India, marked an important milestone in this journey. Our progress in indigenous missile technology and space systems further demonstrates the strength of India's scientific and industrial capabilities,' Singh said.

However, he said these achievements also placed greater responsibility on the country to maintain quality and reliability in defence manufacturing.

'These achievements are a matter of immense national pride. However, they also place a greater responsibility on us.  As our defence system becomes increasingly sophisticated, we must ensure that every critical material, component, assembly and manufacturing process meets the highest standards of quality and reliability,' he said.

Singh cautioned that hidden defects could affect the operational availability of defence equipment, increase maintenance requirements, reduce its service life and, in critical situations, jeopardise the success of a mission.

'A hidden defect can affect operational availability, increase maintenance requirements, reduce service life of equipment, and in critical situations even jeopardise the success of a mission,' he said.

He stressed the need to move beyond merely identifying defects and develop a culture of actively preventing them by embedding quality checks at every stage of the manufacturing process.

'Therefore, we must move beyond a culture that merely identifies defects and develop a culture that actively prevents them. This requires us to embed quality into every stage of the manufacturing process,' he added.

Singh said the conference theme, 'Innovation for Strategic and Economic Excellence', was particularly relevant as it reflected India's aspiration to become technologically advanced, industrially strong, strategically secure and globally competitive.

'The theme of this conference ', Innovation for Strategic and Economic Excellence', is particularly relevant in the present times. It reflects our aspiration to build an India that is technologically advanced, industrially strong, strategically secure, and globally competitive,' Singh said.

He said a nation's progress depended not merely on the technology it developed but also on the quality, reliability and security of the systems it built, particularly in strategic sectors such as defence.

'The progress of any nation does not depend merely on the technology it develops. It also depends on the quality, reliability, and security of the system it builds. This becomes particularly important in strategic sectors, such as defence, where the consequences of any failure can be far-reaching,' he said.

The Minister also said he could not attend the event in person due to viral fever and joined the gathering virtually. He congratulated the leadership of the Indian Society for Non-Destructive Testing, the organising committee and all those involved in organising the conference.

'I would like to congratulate the leadership of the Indian Society for Non-Destructive Testing, the organising committee, and everyone who has worked tirelessly to bring together this prestigious event,' he said. (ANI)