Operation Sindoor demonstrated the strength of India’s indigenous weapons and missile systems and showed that the country is no longer behind any other nation in defence capabilities, Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Social Justice and Empowerment B L Verma said on Saturday.
Addressing the 115th Foundation Day celebrations of the National Test House (NTH) and the inauguration of its new Bengaluru facility, Verma said Operation Sindoor highlighted the technological capabilities of products developed as part of India’s drive towards self-reliance.
“When we saw Operation Sindoor, the world witnessed the capability of our indigenous weapons and powerful missiles. Today, India is not behind anyone,” he said.
Verma said the NTH has played a key role in India’s development of scientific testing, quality assurance, product safety and reliability over more than a century.
“The 115th Foundation Day marks the completion of 114 years of dedicated service by the NTH. This is not merely an institutional achievement, but a celebration of India’s proud journey in scientific testing, quality, product safety and reliability,” he said.
The minister said the NTH began in 1912 as the Government Test House at Alipore in Kolkata and has since evolved into an important pillar of India’s national quality infrastructure.
He said the government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was working towards the objectives of ‘Make in India’, ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, ‘Zero Defect, Zero Effect’ and ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.
“Quality is the foundation of all these goals. The quality of a product determines its reliability, and that reliability gives the product its identity as a brand,” Verma said.
He said the NTH was being modernised in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of “Reform, Perform and Transform”.
Verma highlighted the NTH’s expansion into emerging areas, including drone testing and certification. With drones increasingly being used in defence, agriculture, surveying, disaster management and other civilian applications, reliable testing and certification would help establish a safe and robust drone ecosystem, he said.
He also highlighted the NTH’s electric vehicle battery testing facilities, saying reliable testing of EV batteries and related systems would contribute to industrial safety, efficiency and India’s global competitiveness.
The expansion of chemical testing capabilities was equally important for chemical safety, industrial material testing, environmental monitoring and public health, Verma said.
On the new Bengaluru facility, the minister said its location was significant as the city is a major hub for technology, innovation, research, engineering and advanced industries.
“The presence of NTH in Bengaluru will provide industries, startups, research institutions and innovators with better testing and technical services,” he said.
Verma said the new facility represented more than physical infrastructure and would strengthen India’s modern scientific and quality infrastructure to meet future testing requirements.
(IANS Inputs)
