Mr. Antony told reporters after inaugurating the new campus of the Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) here. Mr. Antony said the Government would take all precautionary measures in this regard and it was for the Election Commission of India to conduct free and fair elections.

The Defence Minister said the light combat aircraft (LCA) with high thrust engine would fly by 2010. Denying reports that the Indian Air Force (IAF) had been complaining about the technical efficacy of the LCA, he said the IAF had placed orders for 20 LCAs and in the days to come it may make a request for 20 more. In his inaugural address, Mr. Antony urged scientists and defence establishments to reduce their dependence on foreign nations as this could land the armed forces in trouble. Technology denial, import restrictions and delay in delivery could lead to serious problems, he said.

He made out a case for creating innovative and indigenous defence systems. The government would give complete support for such an endeavour. The defence systems should be developed in such a manner that they reduced the stress on the troops.

M. Natarajan, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, said the airframe of fifth generation fighter aircraft, which was being developed with the Russian assistance, was almost ready and the aircraft would fly by March 2009. The weapon package for the aircraft would be conceived and built indigenously, he said.

R.P. Ramalingam, Director, DARE, said the eight-storeyed building at the new campus had state-of-the-art facility. He urged the Defence Ministry to start an Avionics Technology Park of an international standard here.

DARE, formerly known as Advanced Systems Integration and Evaluation Organisation, was created in 1986 with the objective of enhancing the operational capabilities of the IAF by equipping aircraft with the latest indigenous defensive avionics and mission avionics, he said. . <<back