India needs to have a military industrial hub, says Pillai

Citing rise in use of cyber warfare compared to weapons, former chief of Brahmos Aerospace A Sivathanu Pillai has asked the government to look at setting up a military industrial complex that will house electronic sector firms to boost domestic defence technologies.
"There is a need for India to have a Military Industrial Complex by enlisting large and medium cluster of industries keeping in view the rapidly growing ESDM sector across the world," industry body IESA quoted Pillai as saying in a statement.
Brahmos Aerospace was formed as a joint venture between Defence Research and Development Organisation of India and Russia's Joint Stock Company Military Industrial Consortium. The company was established in India in 1998.

Pillai, while speaking at a technology event for Defence 'DEFTRONICS', said the scenario of warfare had changed now from use of weapons to electronic warfare and cyber warfare.
"In future, computer intelligence will acquire more importance and the use of electronic components would be more than 70 per cent. India needs to capitalise on this and those involved in defence sector need to play a greater role," Pillai said.
He said that the government policies should be changed to enlist the industry in a bigger way and the general notion that everything could be done by only public sector units should be given a go by.

"The need of the hour is to achieve product excellence coupled with cost effectiveness and timely delivery of products. Indian electronic industry had a great role to play along with foreign collaborators," he said.
He lauded the role of DRDO and its contribution to the country so far and said cumulatively it had produced products worth more than Rs 1.50 lakh crore for the country.
Karnataka IT Minister S R Patil at the event said electronics industry was 65 per cent dependent on outside sources and it is time the percentage is brought down to 25 per cent.