Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday called for more participation of the private sector in defence production, as he noted that war preparations should be done on war footing because they have become "very complex" now. The nature of war, Rajnath said, is changing extremely fast and new methods are coming forth which were not there in a traditional war.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a medium calibre ammunition facility at Solar Industries in Maharashtra's Nagpur, the defence minister also noted that wars are not just restricted to borders and energy, trade, tariff, supply chains, technology and information are now part of its new dimensions. However, he said that India's vigilance on borders has not diminished in any way despite the changes.
"Preparation for wars should be done on a war footing. On the other hand, it is clearly evident today that the nature of warfare is rapidly changing. New methods of warfare are emerging. Wars are no longer limited to borders. Their impact, directly or indirectly, reaches the common people," Rajnath said.
The union minister also spoke about Operation Sindoor, which he said that only lasted for 88 hours but its intensity he noted can't be described in words. In such operations, "every minute, every decision and every resource" is crucial, he said, while noting that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been going on for four years.
"We witnessed the brilliance of your ingenuity in Operation Sindoor. The Nagastra drone developed by this group was successfully deployed. This drone struck precisely at those who harbored ill intentions towards our country. I've been told that an advanced version of it has also been developed," he said.
Rajnath, a Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow, said the central government aims to make India a global hub of ammunition production. Ten years earlier, India's defence exports were just Rs 1,000 crore, but this number has increased to Rs 25,000 crore, he said. Calling for more participation of the private sector, he said government wants to increase defence exports to Rs 50,000 crore by 2029-30.
"When I see a private sector unit working at this level, I don't just see some unit or some facility; rather, I see a new resolve, a new zeal, a new energy, and innovation. I see how all of you are so dedicatedly contributing to the nation's development. The way you are contributing to making the Defence sector self-reliant is exemplary in itself," Rajnath said.
"There was a time when Defence Production was almost entirely confined to the public sector. The participation of the private sector was very limited... Gradually, we made efforts to change this mindset," he added.
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