<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/40588883.cms" />NEW DELHI: The “Chalta Hai” attitude will no longer do. <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> has directed the DRDO to ensure delivery of cutting-edge weapon systems to the armed forces in time to keep India ahead in the national security arena. 
 
Though the stern message was couched in mild language, the intent behind it could not be lost. Most of DRDO projects, ranging from Tejas light combat aircraft to long-range surface-to-air missile systems, after all, are running years behind schedule with huge cost overruns. 
 
READ ALSO: <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ten-key-DRDO-projects-delayed-Arun-Jaitley/articleshow/38609015.cms">Ten key DRDO projects delayed, Arun Jaitley says</a> 
 
The fact that India, which aspires to be a superpower, still embarrassingly imports over 65% of its military requirements is basically due to failure of successive governments to build a strong domestic defence-industrial base (DIB) as well as tardy performance of DRDO and its 50 labs, five defence PSUs, four shipyards and 39 ordnance factories. 
 
India does not lack the requisite scientific talent and capability but this “chalta hai” attitude (lackadaisical) has put paid to all endeavours, said Modi at the annual DRDO awards function on Wednesday. 
 
“The world will not wait for us. We have to run ahead of time. We should not say in 2014 that a project conceived in 1992 will take some more time,” said Modi. With defence technology evolving at a rapid rate around the globe, India cannot afford to conceptualize systems that are two steps behind what will soon hit the market. 
 
“DRDO has to decide whether it will only react to the situation, or become pro-active and set the agenda for the global community. I have hopes from DRDO because I know it has the capability to perform,” said Modi. 
 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/40588691.cms" /> 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the DRDO Awards 2013 function in New Delhi on Wednesday.(PTI photo) 
 <keyword id="6366153" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Defence-Minister">Defence minister</keyword> <keyword id="42575" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arun-Jaitley">Arun Jaitley</keyword> also stressed that defence scientists had the “intellectual talent” to turn DRDO into “a hub for defence manufacturing” if they worked towards it in the right earnest. 
 
But this might take some doing. For one, DRDO wants more funds for R&amp;D. For another, though it has over 7,500 scientists on its rolls, it wants to attract bright youngsters from top-notch institutions like the IITs with better incentives. 
 
Blog: <a href="http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/talkingturkey/modis-push-for-out-of-box-thinking-in-defence-research-should-shake-drdo-out-of-its-stupor/">Modi’s push for out-of-box thinking in defence research should shake DRDO out of its stupor</a> 
 “Our intake of young scientists is down to just 70 per year. This is certainly not a good sign for an innovation-centric organization. Sanction of additional manpower at the rate of 300 per year for the next seven-eight years is essential for meeting technology challenges,” said <keyword id="109833" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="DRDO-chief">DRDO chief</keyword> <keyword id="212636" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Avinash-Chander">Avinash Chander</keyword>. 
 
But it’s equally true that DRDO itself needs to be revamped and reformed. As reported by TOI earlier, the Rama Rao Committee (RRC) in 2008 held DRDO should focus only on 8 to 10 "critical technologies'' of "strategic importance'', instead of making everything from dental implants and mosquito repellents to nuclear missiles and fighter jets. 
 Two key RRC recommendations, for instance, to establish a new <keyword id="513085" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Defence-Technology-Commission">Defence Technology Commission</keyword> and a commercial arm for DRDO (as a private limited company with Rs 2 crore as seed capital) are yet to be implemented. 
 
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World Won’t Wait For You, PM Narendra Modi Tells Laggard DRDO

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<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5441451769beddb65325e2be-1200-800/ap631746974334.jpg" border="0" alt="India Brahmos Cruise Missiles" style="color: #000000;">Saurabh Das/APBrahmos supersonic cruise missiles, jointly developed by India and Russia, are displayed during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014</img></div></div></div>India has successfully conducted a test-launch of a nuclear-capable cruise missile that has a range of over 620 miles. 
The Nirbhay subsonic cruise missile is India's first long-range missile to be built and designed inside the country. India's <keyword id="6354810" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Defense">Defense</keyword> Research and Development Organization (DRDO) claims that the missile launch was a massive success and that the missile will fill a critical role within India's defensive capabilities.
"The missile maintained an accuracy better than 10 metres throughout its path and covered more than 1000 kms," <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/india-test-fires-indigenously-developed-sub-sonic-cruise-missile-nirbhay/articleshow/44845851.cms">said</a> Avinash Chander, the scientific advisor of the DRDO, in a press release after the launch. "The successful indigenous development of the Nirbhay cruise missile will fill a vital gap in the war-fighting capabilities of our armed forces."
According to NDTV, the Nirbhay will <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/article/cheat-sheet/india-s-cruise-missile-nirbhay-10-must-know-facts-608102">function</a> as India's answer to America's Tomahawk and Pakistan's Babur missiles. With a range of up to 1,000 km (620 miles), and a capability to carry nuclear warheads, the missile could be used by India as a deterrent against its nuclear-armed rival Pakistan.
The Nirbhay <a href="http://rusnavy.com/news/othernavies/index.php?ELEMENT_ID=13620">can be launched</a> from multiple platforms, and different variants are expected to be adopted by India's Navy, Army, and Air Force. The Nirbhay is <a href="http://rusnavy.com/news/othernavies/index.php?ELEMENT_ID=13620">expected to replace </a>India's previous cruise missile, the Brahmos, which was co-developed with Russia. 
India's development of a long-range, nuclear-capable cruise missile comes within the context of ongoing tensions along the country's various disputed borders. India and Pakistan have <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/09/india-warns-pakistan-pay-heavy-price-shelling-kashmir">exchanged artillery fire</a> over the disputed region of Kashmir this month, leading to tens of thousands of residents being evacuated and India threatening further measures against its northern neighbor.
India is also likely worried about <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-has-slowly-been-eating-away-at-india-2014-9">Chinese attempts to move into disputed territory in the Himilayas</a>. China, meanwhile, is developing its own advanced missile capabilities, including <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hypersonic-weapons-arm-race-2014-9">boost-glide supersonic weapons</a> and ballistic missiles capable of carrying <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-worrying-new-weapons-2014-8">multiple nuclear warheads</a>.
The Nirbhay is just the latest piece of evidence that India is serious about keeping pace with its regional rivals - last year, the country was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/india-is-the-worlds-largest-arms-importer-2014-6">the largest arms-importer in the world</a>.

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World Won’t Wait For You, PM Narendra Modi Tells Laggard DRDO

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India Just Successfully Tested A Nuclear-Capable Cruise Missile

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