Defence labs to help small industries: Fernandes

Wednesday, 10 September 2003, 19:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: India's defence research establishment can help increase the productivity of small industries by providing cutting edge technologies, Defence Minister George Fernandes said here Tuesday. Opening a vendor development programme, Fernandes said small industries too could play a vital role by increasing their participation in defence production and in helping the country achieve indigenisation in the defence sector. The doors of the Defence Research and Development Organisation will always be kept open for small industries for guidance in technological advancement, he said. Citing the example of the indigenously developed light combat aircraft Tejas, Fernandes said 120 small industries were involved in its production. Fernandes assured the gathering he and Small Scale Industries Minister C.P. Thakur would take up the problems of small industries with the prime minister. He noted that he always encouraged the purchase of the products of small industries in his ministry.
Source: IANS
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