India, Sept. 2 -- The progress of defence PSUs is not merely an economic or industrial necessity, but a "national security imperative", Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday as he urged them to focus on timely delivery, reducing import dependency and making efforts to achieve quality equivalent to global standards.

He also welcomed the increased investment in research and development by the defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), while underlining that the success of R&D should be measured not just by the amount spent, but by the development of new technologies, intellectual property, prototypes and operational products.

"We must identify niche technology areas where India can become not just self-reliant, but a global lead...