New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has stressed that India must strengthen its domestic technological capabilities to become a global leader in advanced technologies, particularly in strategic sectors such as defence and aerospace.
Virtually addressing the 36th Annual Conference on Non-Destructive Evaluation and Enabling Technologies and the 15th International Symposium on Non-Destructive Testing in Aerospace on November 15, 2026, he highlighted the importance of developing indigenous inspection technologies, specialised sensors, evaluation equipment and associated software.
He said that strengthening India’s Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) ecosystem is essential for reducing technological dependence, securing critical defence supply chains and improving the reliability of military equipment.
The Defence Minister also emphasised that there can be no compromise on the accuracy, integrity and reliability of testing results, particularly in strategic applications.
Rajnath Singh Calls for Stronger Indigenous NDT Capabilities
Rajnath Singh said India must develop domestic capabilities in advanced inspection technologies to reduce dependence on foreign technology and strengthen its defence industrial ecosystem.
He emphasised the importance of consistent quality assurance practices across the defence manufacturing sector and highlighted the role of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), private manufacturers, start-ups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
He said inspection results must be accurate, reliable and traceable, based on robust procedures, appropriate standards and assessments conducted by qualified professionals.
According to the Defence Minister, strengthening these capabilities will help India secure critical supply chains and improve the quality of domestically manufactured defence equipment.
Read also: Inside the Tri-Services PMOC Meeting That Are Going to Strengthen the Indian Defence Maintenance
What Is Non-Destructive Testing and Why Is It Important for Defence?
Explaining the significance of Non-Destructive Testing, Rajnath Singh said NDT technologies help examine the integrity of materials, components and structures without causing any damage to them.
He compared the technology with medical procedures such as ultrasound and X-rays, which allow doctors to examine the human body without surgical intervention.
Similarly, NDT techniques help identify internal defects in critical industrial and defence components without dismantling or damaging them.
The Defence Minister said that as Indian defence systems become increasingly sophisticated, every critical material, component, assembly and manufacturing process must meet the highest standards of quality and reliability.
He warned that hidden defects could affect operational availability, increase maintenance requirements, reduce the service life of equipment and, in critical situations, jeopardise mission success.
He called for moving beyond simply identifying defects towards preventing them by incorporating quality assurance at every stage of the manufacturing process.
Quality and Reliability Essential for India’s Defence Preparedness
Rajnath Singh highlighted that the progress of a nation depends not only on the technologies it develops but also on the quality, reliability and security of the systems it builds.
He said that in defence applications involving missiles, aircraft, naval platforms and spacecraft, quality is not merely a manufacturing requirement but an essential component of operational reliability and national security.
Emphasising the strategic importance of the NDT sector, he said India’s ambition to achieve technological leadership cannot be fulfilled without reliable inspection and evaluation systems.
He further asserted that Aatmanirbharta in defence is not merely an economic objective but also a strategic necessity.
Rajnath Singh Highlights India’s Growing Indigenous Defence Capabilities
The Defence Minister highlighted India’s expanding indigenous defence ecosystem, citing achievements in missile development, naval platforms, aerospace engineering, radar systems and space applications.
He described the commissioning of INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, as an important milestone in the country’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat journey.
He said these achievements reflect India’s growing scientific, technological and industrial capabilities.
Rajnath Singh also emphasised that innovation is not limited to scientific discoveries and new inventions. It also includes continuously improving, upgrading and enhancing existing technologies and systems.
Highlighting government initiatives to promote defence innovation, he referred to two important programmes:
- Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX): An initiative encouraging innovation and the development of new defence technologies.
- Technology Development Fund (TDF): A programme supporting technological development and experimentation in the defence sector.
He said these institutional and policy initiatives have encouraged innovative thinking, technological development and experimentation, giving a new direction to India’s defence ecosystem.
AI, Robotics and Digital Twins to Transform Non-Destructive Testing
Rajnath Singh highlighted the growing role of emerging technologies in transforming Non-Destructive Evaluation and inspection processes.
He said Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Robotics, Advanced Sensors, Digital Twins and Predictive Analytics are significantly expanding the possibilities of inspection and structural health monitoring.
According to the Defence Minister, these technologies can:
- Improve the speed and consistency of inspection processes.
- Enable better analysis of complex technical data.
- Identify patterns and potential defects that may not be easily detected through conventional methods.
- Improve structural health monitoring.
- Make inspection processes more accurate, efficient and responsive to changing industrial requirements.
He emphasised that the future lies in intelligently integrating established inspection techniques with advanced digital technologies.
The Defence Minister urged India to move beyond simply adopting emerging technologies and develop indigenous solutions suited to its strategic and industrial requirements.
He also stressed the need for greater investment in research, advanced equipment, software and skilled manpower to strengthen domestic capabilities and help Indian technologies compete in international markets.
Calls for Collaboration Between Government, Industry and Academia
Rajnath Singh said innovation flourishes when the government, industry, academic institutions and research laboratories work together.
He called for a whole-of-government and whole-of-ecosystem approach, with all stakeholders working towards the common objectives of technological advancement and strategic self-reliance.
He also urged professionals associated with the NDT sector to continuously upgrade their skills and maintain a strong focus on innovation in line with emerging technologies and changing security requirements.
The Defence Minister emphasised that indigenous weapons, platforms and supporting systems must deliver the highest levels of reliability and performance to meet India’s evolving defence needs.
Over 2,000 Participants Attend International NDT Conference in Hyderabad
The three-day conference is being organised by the Indian Society for Non-Destructive Testing in Hyderabad, Telangana.
It has brought together more than 2,000 professionals, researchers, industry experts and students to discuss the latest developments, emerging technologies and applications in Non-Destructive Testing.
The event provides a platform for knowledge exchange, technical discussions and collaboration among participants from industry, academia and research institutions.
The discussions are focused on strengthening NDT capabilities, encouraging innovation and promoting advanced inspection and evaluation technologies across different sectors, particularly defence and aerospace.
Through the conference, stakeholders are exploring opportunities to improve India’s technological capabilities and strengthen the country’s position in advanced inspection technologies and defence manufacturing.
Read also: India’s 1 Crore Private Security Guards Could Become A National Security Shield: Ex-Army Chief
