Karnataka: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh presided over a significant meeting of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Defence in Bengaluru, Karnataka on June 16, 2023. The meeting focused on the topic of “Self-reliance in Defence Manufacturing” and aimed to apprise the committee members about the Ministry of Defence’s initiatives and progress towards achieving self-reliance in defence.
Government’s Endeavor to Enhance National Security and Technological Advancement
During the meeting, Raksha Mantri emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the nation’s security and equipping the Armed Forces with advanced technology to effectively tackle evolving global challenges. He highlighted the importance of demand assurance in attaining self-reliance and discussed various decisions taken by the Ministry to achieve this objective.
Importance of Demand Assurance in Achieving Self-Reliance
Raksha Mantri emphasized that demand assurance plays a crucial role in ensuring self-reliance in defence manufacturing. He elaborated on the measures taken by the government, including consistent increases in the defence budget, allocation of a record 75% of the defence capital procurement budget for domestic industries, and the issuance of positive indigenization lists.
Decisions Taken to Foster Self-Reliance in Defence Manufacturing
The meeting shed light on the decisions made by the government that have started yielding positive results. Raksha Mantri proudly stated that India is now manufacturing submarines, fighter jets, helicopters, and weapons indigenously. He also highlighted how the growing defence industry not only meets domestic requirements but also fulfils the security needs of friendly nations. The substantial increase in defence production and exports stands as evidence of the progress made in the sector.
Indigenization and Success of the Domestic Defence Industry
Raksha Mantri applauded the consensus among different ideologies in working towards complete self-reliance. He stressed the importance of unity and the idea of “Nation First” to transform India into a defence exporter instead of an importer. The Raksha Mantri shared his vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and encouraged everyone to collaborate to achieve this goal.
Valuable Suggestions and Efforts to Incorporate Them
During the meeting, committee members provided valuable suggestions that were appreciated by the Raksha Mantri. He assured them that efforts would be made to incorporate these suggestions, further strengthening the self-reliance in defence manufacturing initiative.
Distinguished Attendees at the Meeting
The meeting witnessed the presence of esteemed personalities, including Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane, Secretary (Ex-Servicemen Welfare) Vijoy Kumar Singh, & Secretary, Department of Defence R&D, & Chairman, DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, reflecting the government’s commitment and progress towards achieving self-reliance in defence manufacturing and bolstering national security.
