Prime Minister Narendra Modi ceremonially handed over the indigenously developed light combat helicopter (LCH), drones and electronic warfare suite to the armed forces as part of the Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv at a ceremony in Jhansi on Friday.
PM Modi said the Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv was the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the defence sector in India. He also laid the foundation stone of a ₹ 400 crore plant of Bharat Dynamics Limted, the first unit of the Jhansi node of UP Defence Industrial Corridor that would come up on 183 acres.
This initiative would give Jhansi a new recognition, boost MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) in the Bundelkhand region and create job opportunities for the youth, PM Modi said.
The prime minister said the Bundelkhand region, once known for its valour and courage, would be playing the role of “sarathi’ in the UP Defence Industrial Corridor and would be one of the major centres of India’s defence strength.
Remembering hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand who was from Jhansi, Modi said at a time when the strength of our forces is increasing, India was preparing the ground for the capable youth to protect the country in the future.
{{/usCountry}}Remembering hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand who was from Jhansi, Modi said at a time when the strength of our forces is increasing, India was preparing the ground for the capable youth to protect the country in the future.
{{/usCountry}}He was referring to the opening of 100 new Sainik schools across the country that he launched from Jhansi.
“These 100 Sainik Schools will work to put the future of the country in the hands of powerful people,” PM Modi said.
Modi said the government has started the admission of girls in Sainik Schools.
“Admission of girl students has started in 33 Sainik schools. They will produce daughters like Rani Laxmi Bai to take the responsibility of defence, security and development of the country,” he said.
These Sainik Schools would be set up in partnership with private institutions. In all, the PM inaugurated or laid the foundation stone for projects worth ₹3414 crore in Jhansi. It included an ultra mega solar park worth ₹3000 crore in Garautha, which would produce 600 megawatt of electricity on completion.
Laying emphasis on gaining self-reliance in defence, he said history was replete with examples that India never lost a war for lack of courage and valour.
“If Rani Laxmi Bai had modern weapons like the British back in 1857 (the First War of Independence), history would have been different,” PM Modi said.
The time has come when India, which was known as an arms buyer, would be a global player in arms export, he stressed.
“The mantra is Make in India—Make for the World,” he said, adding the Ministry of Defence has released a list of 200 military equipment that would be bought from Indian companies to boost Atmanirbhar Bharat.
“These equipment cannot be bought from overseas anymore. There is a ban now,” he said.
At the ceremony, PM Modi formally gave light combat helicopter (LCH) designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, drones and UAVs built by Indian start-ups to Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, and the DRDO-designed and Bharat Electronics Limited-manufactured advanced electronic warfare suite for naval ships to Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh.
Modi also launched the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Alumni Association in Jhansi.
Besides, the prime minister reached Jhansi Fort and launched the National Programme of Simulation Training for NCC cadets with the aim to scale up simulation training facilities for all three wings of NCC. He interacted with 33 newly joined girl students from Sainik Schools, representing all the 33 Sainik Schools in the country.
Earlier, he unveiled stone signage on Maharani Laxmi Bai and inaugurated Atal Ekta Park in Jhansi.