Boost India's indigenous defence capabilities: Prez to DRDO

New Delhi, Jul 1: President Pranab Mukherjee today congratulated DRDO on the successful test-firings of a medium-range missile and said it should make greater efforts to boost India's indigenous defence capabilities.

He said the nation was proud of the achievement made by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

"I extend hearty congratulations to all those associated with the successful test-firing of the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM), developed jointly with Israel.

"The nation is proud of the achievement made by DRDO and looks upon DRDO to make even greater efforts to boost India's indigenous defence capabilities in technologically challenging areas," the President said in a message to S Christopher, Secretary, the Department of Defence Research and Development and Director General, DRDO.

Mukherjee said the nation is grateful to all the members -- scientists, engineers and all others involved in this mission -- for their hard work and proud of their achievement. India had yesterday carried out two successful test-firings of the newmissile, with a strike range up to 70 km, from a defence base off Odisha coast. It was again test-fired today.

PTI