Rajnath Singh Calls Industry to Power India's Defence Future

Singh said Gujarat has the industrial strength, skilled workforce, and entrepreneurial culture needed to become one of India's leading defence manufacturing centres.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has urged industries, entrepreneurs, innovators, and academic institutions to play a bigger role in building a developed India, saying the country's future depends on strong economic growth, technological leadership, and national security working together.

Speaking at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference in Vadodara, Singh said the vision of Viksit Bharat goes beyond economic progress and represents a commitment to creating a prosperous, technologically advanced, and socially empowered nation. He encouraged regional industries to turn local strengths into national capabilities and transform innovation into globally competitive products.

He noted that the changing geopolitical environment makes it essential for India to strengthen its technological capabilities and industrial base while building secure borders. According to him, economic prosperity, innovation, and national security reinforce one another, creating the foundation for long-term national growth.

Indigenous defence manufacturing reaches new milestones

Highlighting the transformation of India's defence sector over the past decade, Singh said the country has moved from depending heavily on imports to becoming an emerging defence manufacturing and export hub. He credited indigenous platforms, private sector participation, start-ups, and innovators for helping create a stronger domestic defence ecosystem.

The Defence Minister said initiatives such as Make in India, the revised Defence Acquisition Procedure, the Technology Development Fund, iDEX, the Srijan Portal, Defence Testing Infrastructure, Green Channel Certification, and simplified licensing and foreign investment policies have encouraged domestic manufacturing and research.

He shared that India's defence production has grown from ₹46,000 crore in 2014 to a record ₹1.78 lakh crore, while defence exports have increased from less than ₹1,000 crore to an all-time high of ₹38,424 crore. Singh clarified that Aatmanirbhar Bharat is not about isolation but about building strong domestic capabilities while expanding partnerships with global manufacturers through technology transfer and joint ventures.

Gujarat positioned as a key defence manufacturing hub

Singh said Gujarat has the industrial strength, skilled workforce, and entrepreneurial culture needed to become one of India's leading defence manufacturing centres. He highlighted the Tata-Airbus C-295 aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara and the production of K-9 Vajra self-propelled artillery systems in the state as examples of its growing defence capabilities. He also pointed to Gujarat's expanding semiconductor ecosystem in Sanand and Dholera, describing it as a key pillar for India's technological sovereignty in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cybersecurity, and space technology.

According to the Defence Minister, Gujarat's established industries in chemicals, petrochemicals, electronics, shipbuilding, ports, renewable energy, and green hydrogen can directly support the development of advanced defence technologies. During the conference, he also interacted with representatives from industry and academia, reaffirming the government's commitment to creating a business-friendly environment that encourages innovation and strengthens India's defence manufacturing ecosystem.