Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed India's advancement in defence production and export, saying every Indian can be proud of this journey. The statement of the prime minister came on Wednesday, as he gave a passionate call to startups, manufacturers, and innovators to be a part of the sector.
In a post on LinkedIn, he told the youth, startups, manufacturers and innovators that India's defence sector is calling them. This is their moment to be part of history, he added.
"India needs your expertise and enthusiasm. The doors are open for innovation, the policies are supportive, and the opportunity is unprecedented. Together, we will make India not just Aatmanirbhar in defence but a global leader in defence manufacturing," Modi said.
"Together, let's build a stronger, self-reliant Bharat," he said in a piece titled "India's Defence Revolution Takes Flight".
From a time when defence forces faced critical equipment shortages to today's era of self-reliance, this is a journey that every Indian can be proud of, the prime minister said.
Days after inaugurating the C-295 aircraft manufacturing complex in Vadodara jointly with his Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez, Modi described it as a watershed moment in India's defence and aerospace journey.
"The speed of execution is breathtaking -- from foundation stone to operational facility in just two years! This is a clear manifestation of a new work culture and the capabilities of the people of India," he said.
Giving out figures to back his assertion, Modi said India's defence production has soared to Rs 1.27 lakh crore (2023-24) and its exports have skyrocketed from Rs 1,000 crore in 2014 to Rs 21,000 crore today.
The production of over 12,300 items has been indigenised in just three years and over Rs 7,500 crore invested in domestic vendors by the defence PSUs, he said, adding that 25 per cent of the defence research and development (R&D) budget was dedicated to the industry-led innovation.
In addition to the numbers as well, there are things which will make everyone very happy, he said, asserting that the complete defence ecosystem is being transformed.
In manufacturing, indigenous warships are patrolling the waters while made-in-India missiles have strengthened the country's deterrence. Domestically-produced bulletproof jackets are protecting the soldiers, and India is becoming self-reliant in defence and is also working to be a top-of-the-line defence equipment manufacturer, he said.
As far as strategic infrastructure is concerned, two modern defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are coming up, the prime minister said.
In innovation, iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) is powering an entire startup eco-system and MSMEs are becoming integral to the defence supply chain while industry-academia partnerships are fostering research and development, he said.
It has all resulted in reduced import dependency, job creation across the defence manufacturing sector, skill development for the youth, and MSMEs getting a boost in the defence sector, the prime minister asserted.
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