Modi: India on track for a self-reliant defence sector

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said one of the country’s key goals under the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) campaign was to emerge as one of the most powerful militaries and develop a modern defence industry in the country on its own steam.

The steps taken by the government during the last seven years were driven by this self-reliance mantra, he said, and the “transparency, trust and technologydriven approach” that the defence sector is witnessing at the moment was never seen before.

“For the first time after Independence, big reforms are taking place in the defence sector. Instead of policies that were a hindrance, a single-window system has been put in place, leading to an increase in the industry’s confidence. Indian companies are looking for opportunities in the defence sector, and now the private sector and the government are working together to achieve the national security mission,” Modi said.

Policy changes have resulted defence exports shooting up to more than 325% over the last five years, he added.

The PM’S comments came while dedicating to the nation, on the occasion of Dussehra, seven new defence companies carved out of the now-dissolved Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). He said the new entities would play a critical role in helping the country cut down military imports in line with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

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PM Narendra Modi inaugurated seven new defence companies carved out of the Ordnance Factory Board. On the occasion of Dussehra, he also hailed the reforms in the defence sector or company will be determined by its research and innovation, Modi said.

“From software to the space sector; India’s growth, its new identity, is the biggest example of this (research and innovation). I ask all companies and these seven new firms to make research and innovation a part of their work culture,” he said.

“You have to not only match the big companies in the world, but also take lead in future technologies. That’s why it’s important that you have a new thinking,

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give maximum opportunities to research-oriented youth and give them freedom to think. I also ask Indian start-ups to be a part of this new journey in the defence sector.”

He said that while cost competitiveness was India’s strength, high quality and reliability should be the country’s identity.

Last month, in a public function in Aligarh, Modi said that India was shedding its image of being a major importer of military hardware and carving out an identity for itself as a defence exporter.

“I am confident that these seven companies will form a strong base for the military strength of the country in the times to come,” he said on Friday in a video address, adding that the corporatisation of OFB had been hanging fire for nearly two decades.