Monday, May 23 2005 10:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: The Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAV), which has gain an important position in Defence strategies including surveillance, would be now manufactured indigenously and an budget of Rs 500 crore has been earmarked for its research and development, a top Government official said yesterday (May 22, 2005).

"So far, the Defence services has acquired Rs 2000 crore worth of UAVs and is expected to invest more Rs 10,000 crore during next three to five years in acquiring more advanced UAVs," Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister, M Natarajan said at a workshop on "Emerging Technologies-UAV", organised by Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) in Hyderabad.

Stressing the need for promoting Defence need based industry in order to build advance components for UAVs, he said that there is lack in industrial support in order to promote scientific efforts for strengthening Defence services.

Speaking on the occasion, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman G Madhavan Nair said the European Union has entered into an agreement with India to place three payloads on the 'Chandrayana' and the US has also sought to use this opportunity in sending its payloads aimed at circling around the moon for study of atmospheric and other features off the planet.

The CARTOSAT launched early this month has been successfully sending signals to 13 ground stations in various countries while the GSLV Rocket would be ready for launch next year, Nair added.

The UAVs are being utilised by the Defence services for reconnaissance, surveillance and identification of militant camps across the borders besides other assignments of ammunition drops and communication loop now sought by the naxal-hit States to monitor ultras' activities.