Hummingbird News Desk
NEW DELHI, 28 SEP: Mentioning that countries around the world were now focusing on the modernisation of their militaries in view of emerging security concerns, border disputes and maritime dominance, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today declared that India was fully capable of meeting the needs of other countries for defence equipment.
The government has created an atmosphere of jointness to ensure modernisation of the armed forces in the rapidly evolving global security scenario, he said during his address at Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) Annual General Meeting in New Delhi.
“India is capable of meeting the needs (of other nations) through a cost-effective and quality approach. By India, we mean public sector, private sector, academia, research and development. We believe in taking them all onboard together,” the minister said.
He emphasised that the Indian defence industry is home to manufacturers who can create a perfect blend of state-of-the-art, high quality and cost-effective hardware which will not only bolster national security but make India a net defence exporter. He reiterated the Government’s resolve of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for the world’ through past learnings, present works, with focus on empowering the future.
Underlining the importance of indigenisation, Rajnath listed out a number of reforms undertaken by the Government to encourage the participation of private sector and achieve ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He added that the government is providing a suitable growth environment to the private sector. “We have opened up opportunities to build a Mega Defence Programme, including fighter aircraft, helicopters, tanks and submarines through a strategic partnership model that will help our private companies become global giants in the years to come. The recent contract of 56 transport aircraft for Indian Air Force is one such example,” he said.
He stated that due to these steps, defence exports have crossed Rs 38,000 crore mark in the last seven years; more than 10,000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have joined the defence sector and there has been an increase in research & development, start-ups, innovation and employment.
The defence minister appreciated the suggestions of the private sector that have been incorporated in various policy reforms, including ‘Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP 2020), draft Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) 2021 and the two Positive Indigenisation lists.
These reforms will not only meet the requirements of our private industry, but also create sustainable and long-term linkages with foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to meet global demands, he said.
Terming sustainability as an integral part of self-reliance, Rajnath urged the industry to also focus on emerging areas such as cyberspace & Artificial Intelligence by investing in R&D, developing new technologies & products and taking advantage of government’s policies. He called upon the private players to utilise the country’s talent to achieve this objective.
Saying that the concept of ‘Make in India and Make for the World’ has been a part of Indian civilisational ethos, Shri Rajnath Singh exhorted the industry to keep moving forward and help the Government realise its vision of making India a global manufacturing hub. He expressed confidence that like the White Revolution & Green Revolution, this public-private partnership will be mentioned as Defence Production Revolution in the annals of Indian defence in the times to come.
Appreciating the fact that the number of SIDM members is about to reach 500, Rajnath said the growing popularity of SIDM also reflects the growth of the country’s defence industry. On the setting up of the first SIDM state office in Lucknow & the signing of agreement with the Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority to promote investments in the UP Defence Industrial Corridor, he stated that these initiatives indicate the quality of vision & approach of SIDM which is essential to achieve the goal of self-reliance.
Tags: #SIDMAnnualSession #India #FDI #defense #AtmaNirbharBharat #MakeInIndia #RajnathSingh
