BPR&D working on non-lethal weapons, need to use drone technology: Rajnath Singh
1 min read 26 Jul 2018, 05:25 PM ISTWith India marking Kargil Vijay Diwas on Thursday, Union home minister Rajnath Singh said security forces are developing non-lethal weapons and emphasised the use of drone technology
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New Delhi: With India marking Kargil Vijay Diwas on Thursday, Union home minister Rajnath Singh said security forces are developing non-lethal weapons and emphasised the use of drone technology to overcome challenges.
The home minister stressed on the need for modern equipment adding that “the BPR&D (Bureau of Police Research and Development) has worked on developing non-lethal weapons. Alongside, drone technology needs to be used," the minister said.
Speaking at the Superintendents of Police Conference conducted by the BPR&D, Singh said, “The police forces have handled several complex crimes and should be given modern equipment and weapons."
In the same vein, Singh highlighted the challenge that security forces in Kashmir and Chhattisgarh battling terrorism and left-wing extremism had to brave.
In October 2017, the home ministry had set the ball rolling on indigenously manufacturing weapons following the liberalisation of the Arms Rules that had paved the way for increased investment in the manufacturing of arms and ammunition and weapon systems as part of the “Make in India" programme.
“The liberalised rules are expected to encourage the manufacturing activity and facilitate availability of world class weapons to meet the requirement of armed and police forces in sync with country’s defence indigenization programme," the Union home ministry said.
The ministry also added that the liberalised rules will apply to licenses granted by MHA for small arms and ammunition and licenses granted by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), “for tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, defence aircrafts, space crafts, warships of all kinds, arms and ammunition and allied items of defence equipment other than small arms."
Following the Mumbai terror attacks of 26 November 2008, the home ministry had initiated efforts to improve security along the country’s 7,000 km coastline.
“A long-term coastal security policy has been formulated for the Navy, Coast Guard and police. There is need to increase coordination among these three forces. The National Academy of Coastal Policing is working to improve this training process and the BPR&D is assessing it," Singh added.
