India capable of making world's best warships: Navy chief RK Dhowan

Indian Navy chief Admiral RK Dhowan on Monday called for increased private investment in defence manufacturing which, he said, is capable of producing the world's best warships and submarines.

"The navy has outlined its science and technology roadmap for next 15 years and has shared it with the industry, underlining nearly 100 sets of technologies which are to be absorbed in our warships and submarines," he said at an interaction between private investors and naval officers here.

Dhowan said the navy would provide all the support to MSMEs (micro, small, medium enterprises) in research, design and development of weaponry.

"The blueprint of the future of Indian Navy is firmly anchored in self reliance and indigenisation and I think this partnership with the Indian industry, both public and private, will ensure that our future warships, submarines and the aviation sector will be 100 percent made in India," he said.

NITI Ayog Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant said defence manufacturing had to be the centre point of India's growth story.

"If manufacturing has to grow, defence manufacturing has to be the driver. Without defence manufacturing, India can never grow in double digit and sustain growth trajectory for long," Kant said in his brief address at the event.

"In the last 15 months we have cleared licences for 125 defence manufacturers. The key principle was that the private manufacturers would be treated at par with the public sector units," Kant said.

He said the Narendra Modi government has adopted a balanced approach so that "private manufacturers get a level playing field to compete and win contracts in India".

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