Rajnath Singh Inaugurates Advanced Weapon System Complex at DRDL in Hyderabad

On June 12, 2026, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Advanced Weapon System Complex at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad. During the inaugural ceremony, Singh urged the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to focus on developing futuristic defence technologies to strengthen India’s strategic advantage in future warfare.

Addressing the gathering, Singh stated that the world is currently passing through an era of turmoil and uncertainty, with conflicts in some places, instability in others, and outright war approaching in a few regions. He noted that the international order is undergoing tension and change, causing old assumptions to break down while new alliances and challenges take shape.

To address these changes, Singh emphasized that DRDO's responsibility extends beyond adapting to technological shifts. He called on the organisation to forecast future needs and work on futuristic technologies today to gain a strategic advantage.

Singh identified several key technologies currently redefining modern warfare, including precision-strike capabilities, Integrated Air Defence Systems, hypersonic weapons, autonomous platforms, Artificial Intelligence, electronic warfare, and advanced sensor technologies. He stated that India is passing through an extremely important phase of its defence modernisation journey.

The Defence Minister highlighted the success of existing DRDO-developed systems like Akash and BrahMos, which demonstrated their capabilities in real-time situations during Operation Sindoor. He noted that these successes prove India has the capability to compete in the global defence technology ecosystem.

However, Singh warned that technological superiority alone does not ensure success in war, emphasizing that large-scale production capability is equally important. He suggested that DRDO leadership consider production as an integral part of the development process to reduce development-to-production timelines and simplify manufacturing processes.

Singh also called for an increase in indigenous content to enable rapid mass production of systems for the Armed Forces when required. He expressed confidence that the Missile and Strategic Systems (MSS) Cluster would continue to serve as a centre of innovation and strategic strength to help India achieve full self-reliance in the defence sector.