E-Paper
India’s defence exports to reach ₹50,000 crore by 2025: Rajnath Singh
Nation’s global standing has grown manifold under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, says defence minister Rajnath Singh
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said India’s global standing has grown manifold under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
For instance, in 2021-22, the country exported defence items and technology worth ₹13,000 crore and the figure would reach nearly ₹40,000 crore to ₹50,000 crore by 2025, Rajnath Singh said.
This was a record leap from the ₹ 800 crore defence exports about eight years ago, Rajnath Singh added.
He also said that the country’s growing global might was evident during the Russia-Ukraine war when, on PM Modi’s intervention, the two warring nations agreed to halt strikes to allow the rescue of stranded students to India. He also said a ₹100 lakh crore project was underway to make the country’s borders safe.
“We took a pledge to make the country self-reliant and the results are there for all to see. Our PM decided that it was time we stopped purchasing all missiles, all aircrafts and fighter planes from other countries. We used to spend a fortune in purchasing them. But now things have changed,” Rajnath said at a function in his Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency.
“About eight years back, our defence exports were about ₹800 crore to ₹900 crore and today we have hit the ₹13,000 crore target by exporting defence items and technology to other nations. Due to PM’s Make in India pitch, by 2025 this ₹13,000 crore export would reach nearly ₹40,000 crore to ₹50,000 crore. There are about 300 such defence equipment that would now be made indigenously,” Rajnath Singh said.
“India is no longer seen as a weak nation. Our surgical and air strikes are proof of that. Our government cares not just for our people but all humanity and the Russia-Ukraine war is proof of that. PM Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Ukraine leadership and the two warring nations agreed to halt strikes to allow rescue of 13000 stranded students to India. This is India’s might,” Rajnath said.
RAJNATH VISITS TEMPLES
Defence minister Rajnath Singh visited Kotwaleshwar Shiva temple in the old city on Saturday, BJP’s Lucknow media chief Praveen Garg said. He later offered puja at Koneshwar temple, also in the old city.
Singh had started his three-day Lucknow visit by visiting the Hanuman Setu temple on Friday. Later, he visited yet another temple – the Buddheshwar Mahadev temple and offered puja before the newly installed statue of Lord Parshuram. “Lord Parshuram carried both shaastra (religion) as well as shastra (weapons) and through it gave the message of bhakti (devotion) and shakti (might). Even today, he is remembered as a symbol of duty and devotion and reminds us that when injustice peaks then God arrives on earth to restore goodness,” Rajnath Singh said on the occasion.
