BRAHMOS is number one in the world: Kalam
PTI (January 05, 2010) Print This News
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former president A P J Abdul Kalam on Tuesday said India should come out of the "sixth nation syndrome" and aspire to achieve the highest position in every field to fulfil the goal of a fully developed power by 2020.
"In every area, whether in nuclear energy or space, India is suffering from the 'sixth nation' syndrome...It is high time that we think and work to free ourselves from this mental shackle," Kalam said during an interaction with the employees of BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvanthapuram Ltd (BATL) here.
He, however, expressed happiness that supersonic cruise missile BrahMos, a joint venture with Russia, was the number one in the world. "I am very happy that we have broken out of this syndrome in this area," he said.
It is crucial to maintain the competitiveness in all sectors as today's world is a highly competitive one where it is difficult to predict what would happen tomorrow. Instead of focussing on making products for defence and space programmes, BrahMos should also diversify into civil areas, especially in nuclear and solar energy sectors, Kalam said.
"As India has set a target of increasing its nuclear power capacity from 7000 MW to 20,000 MW in the next five years, BrahMos even could think of entering into an MOU with Atomic Energy Commission for taking up heir works," he said.
This way BrahMos could multiply its annual turnover from the present Rs 30 crore to Rs 250 crore in the next five years, he added.
Replying to a question from a BATL employee on Indian on moon, Kalam said, "Whatever you do on the moon should be to establish that the moon belongs to entire humanity...I do not want moon to be the property of one country or another. It should be for entire humanity."
Since the earth was going to face a severe space problem with increasing population, the moon would be the nearest additional space available, he said.
In this context, it was important that India's Chandrayaan Mission had established traces of water on the Moon, he said, adding that now it is important to think in terms of Earth, Moon and Mars as one complex.
Earlier, Kalam had a look at the systems and components developed by BrahMos including those for GSLV and air borne version of BrahMos missile.
Chairman and MD of BrahMos Aerospace A Shivathanu Pillai, and former ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair accompanied him.
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Dr. Jaiteerth R. Joshi is an outstanding defence scientist renowned for his distinct leadership in the design, development, strategic planning & production of tactical missile systems of the country. He has led various initiatives in Joint development of Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LRSAM) & Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM).
