Defence Minister A.K. Antony has said that nanotechnology is an emerging field, which can lead to the development of new weapon systems and products that can benefit our nation.

Addressing a workshop on nanotechnology in New Delhi recently, Antony said the world over, the focus is on research & development in nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is likely to find applications in various spheres of our life, including defence, energy, transportation, automobiles, health, infrastructure, food and agriculture.

The Minister said that the Government has declared the decade (2010-20) as the decade of innovation. “We expect our scientists to make concerted efforts at making inventions, discoveries and innovations during this decade.”

There is a need to adopt a conglomerate, or a consortium approach that involves academic institutions and industries. All the organisations must act as a cohesive team to explore various aspects of nanotechnology for its application in the development of missiles, aeronautics, armaments, combat vehicles, materials and life support systems, the Minister added.

Antony said that India has proved its strong capabilities and efficiency in the fields of information technology and biotechnology. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) must make all-out efforts to bring about a convergence of nanotechnology with information technology and biotechnology, he said.

Antony said the production of DRDO developed systems already inducted is worth Rs. 42,000 crore, and cautioned DRDO not to be complacent and set even higher targets. “Today, technology is changing at a rapid pace and DRDO must do its best to keep abreast of the latest technological changes taking place the world over. If DRDO lags behind, the technology being developed by it will become obsolete and it will not be able to provide state-of-the-art equipment to our armed forces. Thus, it must be the endeavour of all scientists to be innovative and creative in thought and action.”