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India’s Image Of Being An Importer Country Is Changing: Ajay Bhatt, MoS Defence

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt stressed on self-reliance in the defence sector and highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership which is helping the defence sector to stand on its feet.

Speaking at BW Aerospace & Defence Conclave 2021 in New Delhi on Thursday, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said that India’s image of being an importer is changing and very rapidly it is now becoming an exporting country.

“Earlier India had this image of being an importer, today that image has changed drastically due to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last seven years and due to the support of the citizens of the country. We are now being recognised as an exporter country,” he said.

The Minister said that after the Pandemic it is now imperative for the people to become atmanirbhar and under Prime Minister Modi’s vision, the defence sector is becoming self-reliant and standing on its feet. Highlighting the government’s plan of action in this direction, he said the government’s approach for the defence industry is to promote indigenous companies is committed to actively procuring from them. At the same time, these companies will not only compete in domestic markets but also export to the rest of the world.

“Recently seven new Defence Public Sector Units (DPSUs) were carved out of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). They will compete with the private sector and get access to markets and at the same time government will not be bound to procure only from these new DPSUs,” he added.

Bhatt also informed that the government has written to several heads of the States, inviting them to come to India and witness India’s defence industry’s innovations and at the same time to set up manufacturing facilities in India.

Lauding Prime Minister Modi’s strategic thinking, The Minister said that soon Bhramaputra River will have road and rail infrastructure under it which will ensure North-East India’s connectivity with the rest of India. “No matter what any of our neighbours do, with this move, India will always stay connected with North-East India,” he said.

He further highlighted that under Prime Minister’s able leadership, the long-pending Atal Tunnel got completed and with its completion, the government is now saving Rs. 7 crore per day. “All such small steps are taking the nation towards atmanirbharta, these savings are used for the welfare of the people,” the minister said.

Highlighting the government’s efforts in building robust defence corridors, Bhatt said the development of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu Defence Corridors is indeed historic and the government plans to invest about Rs. 20,000 crore. He further informed that an investment of Rs. 3342 crore has already been made by private sector companies. “Earlier we used to import defence equipment from Israel, soon we will procure from our private sector and show India’s capabilities to the world,” he said.




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