Hyderabad, Mar 25: Defence Minister AK Antony today asked Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists to "shed old mindsets" and reorient themselves to face the challenges brought in by rapid pace of globalisation.

Addressing DRDO scientists after a tour of its laboratories in Hyderabad, Antony

said: DRDO cannot remain insulated from the changes taking place around it and has to re-configure and adjust itself to the changing environment.

"Rapid advances in science and technology require that the DRDO adjusts its organisational structure and goals to new situations and new requirements and in

the process shed old mindsets," he added.

Antony dwelt at length on the changing times and their myriad dimensions on security, economy and organizations.

"The political and economic dynamics of relationships between the countries, today, both regional and global, are constantly changing. On the one side, this forces us to constantly reappraise conventional and non-conventional threats to our national security. On the other, the impact of globalisation requires that we reassess and adjust to new economic relationships," he said.

"DRDO will have to actively increase its interaction with both the public and private sectors for technology transfers and research and development in view of

the policy of the government to give the private industry an enhanced role in the defence sector," Antony said.

A major instrument to implement this is our offset policy, which requires foreign vendors involved in large projects to actively invest in Indian firms and joint ventures, he added.

Antony said that in the long run India must reduce considerably its dependence on foreign suppliers for its strategic requirements. (ANI)