Union minister Harsh Vardhan at the inauguration of Science Expo in Mumbai on Saturday. (Press Trust of India)
The 'Make in India' programme is going to be one of the key areas of work for laboratories and research institutions, Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said today.
"'Make in India' campaign is going to be one of the key areas on which our laboratories and research institutions are going to work by finding out what are the problems of the country and solve those problems with technology," he told reporters.
"Our labs are going to focus in a big way to make the Prime Minister's 'Make in India' (programme) a very successful campaign," the minister said.
Asked about some reports which claimed that not many private companies are keen on investing in manufacturing of defence equipment as part of the 'Make In India' campaign, he said, "Such reports keep coming and they keep coming prematurely."
Noting that the programme has been launched only in September last year, he said much efforts have been made in making and institutionalising it.
"I don't agree with any of these reports which may have been written prematurely. You have to give some time to the government also, for the system and the departments also. I strongly feel there is tremendous enthusiasm for the programme among the scientists, technologists also, engineers also and of course the industry also and the corporate world.
"We would make sure that through this 'Make In India' programme, we will make India one of the biggest manufacturing hubs of the world. We have a huge potential to grow and become the best in the world," Harsh Vardhan said.