India's Path to 'Aatmanirbharta': A New Era in Defence Manufacturing

In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted India's strides toward self-reliance in defence. He emphasized the growth in indigenous military hardware production and significant increases in defence exports. Modi also praised the defence ministry for its initiatives and acknowledged the growing role of women in various sectors.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address, underscored India's progress toward 'Aatmanirbharta' (self-reliance) in the defence sector. He attributed this shift to the government's recent measures, which have positioned India as an emerging global hub for military equipment manufacturing.

From the historic Red Fort, Modi reflected on the past when most of India's defence budget was spent on foreign procurements. The narrative has changed with his administration's focus on indigenous production. 'We are becoming self-reliant in the defence sector,' he declared. 'Today, we have our own identity in defence manufacturing.'

He noted the significant strides India has made, including exporting defence hardware to numerous countries. Highlighting past military actions, Modi asserted that the youth now take pride in the country's robust defence capabilities. The Prime Minister also commended the defence ministry for listing thousands of items for domestic procurement, driving record-breaking defence production and exports.

(With inputs from agencies.)