Rajnath Singh Inaugurates DRDO’s Advanced Weapon System Complex, Launches Mission Sudarshan Chakra for Multi‑Level Missile Defence

Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated an Advanced Weapon System Complex at the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), part of the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex in Hyderabad. The inauguration marked a significant milestone in India’s defence R&D ecosystem, underscoring the nation’s commitment to technological excellence, strategic autonomy, and national security.

Strategic Significance of the Inauguration

• The new complex strengthens India’s indigenous missile development capabilities, enabling faster transitions from research to production.
• Shri Rajnath Singh praised DRDO’s Missile Systems & Strategic Systems Cluster for its pivotal contributions, noting that indigenous systems like Akash and BrahMos have proven India’s ability to compete globally.
• He emphasized that “strength is essential for peace, and self-reliance is the most reliable foundation for that strength.”

Operation Sindoor: Proof of Indigenous Excellence

• Indigenous missile systems performed exceptionally during Operation Sindoor, demonstrating India’s growing defence capabilities.
• Air defence played a decisive role, thwarting aerial threats and ensuring national security.

Mission Sudarshan Chakra: India’s Multi-Level Missile Defence

• Announced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his 2025 Independence Day address, Mission Sudarshan Chakra aims to establish a three-layered missile defence system.
• The system will protect military installations, civil infrastructure, and critical assets, ensuring minimal inconvenience to citizens while providing robust national security.
• Rajnath Singh asserted that the system will deliver a “decisive punch whenever needed,” symbolizing India’s resolve to safeguard its sovereignty.

Building Resilience and Deterrence

• Resilience: absorbing shocks and bouncing back.
• Deterrence: instilling fear in aggressors.
• Modern warfare is being redefined by precision-strike capabilities, hypersonic weapons, autonomous platforms, AI, electronic warfare, and advanced sensors.
• India must remain alert, capable, and self-reliant in this evolving global order.

DRDO’s Role in Future Warfare

• DRDO has achieved numerous milestones in indigenous missile technologies, with successful tests of advanced systems and continuous progress in strategic and tactical programmes.
• Rajnath Singh urged DRDO to integrate production as part of development, reduce timelines, simplify manufacturing, and increase indigenous content.
• He called for an integrated ecosystem involving DRDO, the Services, industry, start-ups, MSMEs, and academia to accelerate innovation-to-production cycles.

Towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Defence

• Over the past 12 years, the Government has taken measures to promote R&D under the vision of ‘Make-in-India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
• Enhanced collaboration across DRDO labs, Defence PSUs, private industry, and academia has transformed India’s defence ecosystem.
• Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that DRDO will continue to strengthen national capabilities, reduce technological dependence, and enhance operational effectiveness.

Exhibition of Cutting-Edge Technologies

• Raksha Mantri explored a technical exhibition showcasing advanced weapon systems, indigenous missile platforms, and futuristic defence technologies developed by DRDO.
• Senior officials including DG (Missile & Strategic Systems) Shri U Raja Babu and DRDL Director Dr Ankathi Raju were present.

This inauguration is not just a technological milestone but a symbol of India’s resolve to remain resilient, self-reliant, and strategically prepared in an era of rapidly evolving warfare.