<h1>Defence minister urges shift to indigenous R&D, self-reliance; policy to boost domestic arms, industry-academia collaboration</h1> A defence minister stated that reliance on imported technologies undermines national security and outlined a government policy prioritising indigenous defence R&D and self-reliance as strategic imperatives. The minister highlighted demonstrations of domestically developed armaments and emerging technologies at a defence research facility and framed accelerated collaboration among state enterprises, private industry, academia and start-ups as key to meeting procurement needs and reducing exposure to foreign protectionism and restricted technology transfers. The address signals continued regulatory and policy support for domestic innovation, potential shifts in procurement and export-control posture, and emphasis on industry-academia partnerships to secure strategic autonomy.