All Indian warships will be made in the country itself, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Saturday, adding that it is part of a broader drive for self-reliance in defence manufacturing. Speaking at NDTV’s Defence Summit, he said that “self-reliance is no longer an advantage but a necessity.”
“The world today is changing so rapidly that new challenges are emerging before us every day. Be it pandemics, terrorism, or regional conflicts, this century has proven to be the most unstable and challenging on every front so far. In such circumstances, if we talk about today’s strategic requirements, it is clear that atmanirbharta (self-reliance) is essential for both our economy and our security,” Singh said, adding that external dependency in defence is not an option.
On changing geopolitics
Singh said: “There are no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests. India does not consider anyone an enemy. The interest of our farmers and entrepreneurs is most important to us.”
Highlighting India’s growing role as an exporter, Singh said defence exports stood at less than ₹700 crore in 2014 and have risen to nearly ₹24,000 crore now. “This shows that India is no longer just a buyer, but is becoming an exporter,” he said.
Op Sindoor & CapEx
On Operation Sindoor, Singh said: “It may seem like just a few days’ war, and a story of India’s victory and Pakistan’s defeat, but behind it lies years of strategic preparation and a long history of defence preparedness. Our forces, with their years of preparation, hard work, and indigenous equipment, carried out effective action on chosen targets.”
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said the government spent about Rs 1.6 lakh crore in capital expenditure last year. “Eighty-one per cent of that was spent within the country, and that trend will continue,” he adding that they’ve set a 75 per cent benchmark on domestic spending of the capital expenditure.
