"India is good missile technology house...it works as deterrent anytime": Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister on Pak planning after Balakot air strikes

New Delhi [India], February 27 (ANI): India has various kinds of missiles with varied ranges and also has some technologies which are there with only a select few countries, former DRDO chief G Satheesh Reddy has said and noted that such defence capabilities work as a deterrent anytime.
In an interview with ANI, G Satheesh Reddy, who is Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister, said that India has become self-sufficient in missile technology and the capabilities make India "a good missile, technological house".
"I say definitely that India is now technologically.. it has got all the technologies, it has got all class of missiles which has developed, which are available, which are required by the Army, Air Force and Navy, whether it is talking about missiles like air-to-air missiles, we have Astra, which has a very good range and capability. We have very good surface-to-air missiles which have both short and medium-range applications. So you look at a variety of missiles. You have cruise missiles. All these things make the country a good missile, technological house having all these capabilities. So that works as a deterrent any time," Satheesh Reddy said.
He was responding to a query about reports that because of India's missile capabilities, Pakistan thought and rethought of any strike after Balakot airstrikes carried by India in 2019 following Pulwama terror attack.
"I definitely say that if you look at the world, we are one of the first five-six countries who possess all these technologies and capabilities today. If you look at the anti-satellite test what we have done, we are the fourth nation after Russia, America and China. So that's the capability what you have got. That works definitely as a deterrent that the country has such capabilities," Reddy said.
The Balakot air strikes were conducted by the Air Force in response to the Pulwama terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy in which over 40 personnel lost their lives.
On February 26, 2019, IAF fighter jets targeted JeM's advanced training camp in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, where a large number of Pakistani terrorists were killed.
Pakistan had sought to strike at Indian military installations on February 27 through fighter jets including F-16s, but the attempt was thwarted by IAF.
G Satheesh Reddy also spoke Indian defence startup ecosystem in the country which is expanding.
The number of startups working in defence and aerospace space in India are now in the thousands and they are into all kinds of manufacturing and development activities, he said.
"Startups working in defence and aerospace technologies also have gone into thousands today. Startup is now a movement in the country...phenomenal growth the way the number of startups have come up in the country," he said.
"Youngsters are working on various components, spare parts, new technologies which are required - propulsion systems, new engine-related technologies. Startups are working in multiple directions. It is one of important change which has come in the country, which will take India into a new dimension," he added.
He mentioned about the iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) of the Department Of Defence Production, which was introduced with a primary objective of self-reliance and indigenization defence sector needs.
The Department of Defence Production had in 2021 approved iDEX scheme with budgetary support of Rs. 498.80 crore from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
"Industries have come up in a big way...Private industries are now developing missiles, bombs and radars," Reddy said. (ANI)