Bengaluru: Indigenous technology is the way forward for India, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Wednesday during a visit to Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) in Bengaluru. Yadav, who was at the facility to flag off BEML’s 2,100th metro coach, also handed over a formal letter for the allocation of 60.063 hectares in Madhya Pradesh for the establishment of a new BEML manufacturing unit.

Indigenous technology or Indigenous Technological Knowledge (ITK) refers to the traditional skills, innovations, and practices developed by native communities over generations. Rooted in local resources and culture, it addresses the specific needs of these communities through time-tested, sustainable methods. “We often look towards foreign countries, but efforts like these within India are what truly drive the nation forward. I have been told that BEML also plays a major role in the manufacturing of BrahMos and other types of missiles,” he told journalists after the flag-off. Yadav noted that this was his second visit to Bengaluru after assuming office as chief minister.

Shantanu Roy, Chairman and Managing Director of BEML, received the land allotment letter from the Madhya Pradesh CM for the establishment of a rolling stock manufacturing unit in the Umeria Raisen district of the state. The 2,100th metro coach, built for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) through the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), represents the latest in driverless technology, complying with Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) standards. Equipped for Unattended Train Operation (UTO), the coach includes state-of-the-art safety systems and smart features designed to meet global standards. BEML’s metro journey began with the Railway Supply Institute (RSI) project for the Delhi Metro in the early 2000s.