Article Posted on : - Feb 15, 2012

Rustom-2 unmanned aerial vehicle.

SINGAPORE (PTI): State-of-the-art Indian defence technology, including unmanned aerial vehicle "Rustom" and pilot-less target aircraft "Lakhsya", have attracted strong interests from several countries, including Brazil, Canada and Israel, a top DRDO official has said.

"We have delegates visiting the Indian pavilion and expressing keen interest in our core technologies," Parimal Kumar, additional director of the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) told PTI at the Singapore Air Show which opened here Tuesday.

He said Indian defence technology have attracted strong interests from Brazil, Canada, Israel, Jordan, Japan, Myanmar, Singapore and Japan at the Air Show from February 14-19.

Mark Strasser, Senior Trade Commissioner at the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi, said he saw "a good potential" for collaboration between India and Canada in developing these technology further.

"It is a two-way business we just cannot be just supplying our products but has to consider other's specialty and expertise," he said underlining the great potential for collaboration between Indian and Canadian technology to further enhance the defence products.

Kumar said the international experts were studying and evaluating the technology on display at the show.

Taking a broad overview of the exhibition, Indian Civil Aviation Secretary Nasim Zaidi also emphasized the need to collaborate in high-tech products with international players.

"I am happy to be at Singapore Air Show," said Zaidi who noted the growing international interest in aviation technology development.

An India Business Forum is scheduled to be held Wednesday where Zaidi would be joined by Dr C G Krishnadas Nair, Honorary President of the Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies & Industries as well as top Indian aviation industry officials who would be highlighting business opportunities in India.