Article Posted on : - Nov 17, 2014

BENGALURU (PTI): Setting up of an Aeronautical Commission was very essential for attaining self-reliance in the aerospace sector, a top Defence Research and Development Organisation official has said.

"Aeronautical Commission is very essential for synergising the country's capability for design, development, testing, production; ....the synergy has to happen under one umbrella," DRDO Director General (Aeronautical Systems) K Tamilmani told reporters here on Friday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 28th National Convention of Aerospace Engineers, he said, "Today each one has separate identity in the system. We want to bring all of it under one umbrella which will do the monitoring role of everybody's participation and give appropriate directions..."

"It is very essential for self-reliance, if we don't do that...(with) everybody having a different interest to achieve something for their company or R&D- best output will not come.

We need to have a commission, a top body to direct all these stake holders to work together," he added.

Recently Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chief R K Tyagi also had made a similar suggestion for the formation of Indian Aeronautics Commission where various organisations and institutes currently functioning under different ministries can be put under one umbrella.

"This will ensure greater cohesion, synergy, understanding and speeding-up of decision-making in aerospace-related activities," he had said.

Asked about delay in constituting such commission, Tamilmani said "....it is not that simple, every organisation wants to have separate identity whether it is HAL or DRDO..at the end of the day, the user is also separate entity. He wants to have his options open.".

Tamilmani also noted that the private industry has to come into the game and production could no more happen only in one organisation and it should be a collective effort, "like it is happening anywhere internationally, also in other industries like the car industry...."

Stating that the union government's declaration of 'Make in India' will lead to lot of benefit for the industry, he said, "as private industries are given an option to invest in our industry, 'I'm the only guy' attitude has to disappear from PSU's".

Speaking on Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), he said, "the configuration phase has happened, critical technology has been identified, and who will do the thing has also been identified, work has been started in stealth and other things about which we don't know much."

He said, "Now we are moving into the next phase called project definition phase, which has started now. Based on it we will get sanction for money required and time frame along with other things. That Aircraft is a reality as everyone wants to support that programme....."

Tamilmani also said that the LCA final operational clearance (FOC) is the next major activity, adding that "it should happen by June next year."