President Vladimir Putin said the defence industry was crucial for the country’s economic development. Mr Putin stressed that the defence sector had recently suffered significant losses, and that its production had fallen by 66.7% since 1992.
The President said lobbying for individual interests during the restructuring of the sector had to be ruled out. However, regional and branch interests should be given due consideration, Mr Putin said.
The state should support the integration of scientific complexes that have huge capabilities. Unless Russia adopted that policy, it would be lagging behind the world, the President stressed.
Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov and Deputy Secretary of the Security Council Alexander Moskovsky made their reports on the reform of the defence sector.
Following the discussion, its participants agreed to set up a working group that would develop the project in accordance with the national policy up to 2010.