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Indigenous military might on show in Pokhran, PM Modi in attendance
PM Modi launched a blistering attack on the previous regime for not appointing a chief of defence staff to bring synergy among the three services
In the run-up to the general elections due this summer, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday escalated attacks on the Opposition, blaming it for neglecting the defence sector for decades while it was in power, failing to check corruption in military deals, keeping the armed forces dependent on foreign suppliers, and destroying state-run defence companies.
“It was a matter of misfortune for the country that those who governed it for decades were not serious about its defence needs,” Modi said in his address at the tri-services Bharat Shakti exercise held at the Pokhran firing range near Jaisalmer to highlight the strength and innovation of indigenous defence capabilities.
Read here: PM Modi to get ringside view of indigenous military power in Pokhran on March 12
He also launched a blistering attack on the previous regime for not appointing a chief of defence staff to bring synergy among the three services after the 1999 Kargil war, failing to construct a war memorial for decades, ignoring the development of border infrastructure, and not granting one rank, one pension (OROP) to former soldiers.
All this was done by the National Democratic Alliance government during the last 10 years, he said. “This is what Modi ki guarantee means.”
Defence deals were on the back-burner before the NDA government was voted to power in 2014, he said.
The PM said the Ordnance Factory Board and plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited were destroyed by the previous regime and it was the NDA government that took measures to revive them and make them profitable. He also highlighted frequent concerns about the army facing shortage of ammunition during the previous regime.
Bharat Shakti showcased “live integrated multi-domain, offensive operations” of the armed forces using indigenous equipment.
“Today, once again Pokhran became a witness of the triveni of India’s Atmanirbharta, self-confidence and its glory... It is the same Pokhran that witnessed India’s nuclear test and today we are witnessing the power of strength from indigenisation,” Modi said.
The PM referred to the first flight test on Monday of the locally developed Agni-5 missile with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) technology, which gives the weapon system new capability to deliver multiple nuclear warheads against different targets spread across hundreds of kilometres, and further strengthens the country’s strategic deterrence capability.
He said only a handful of countries in the world possessed this new-age technology and prowess, and underlined that the testing was another feather in the cap for Atmanirbharta in defence.
“The idea of Viksit Bharat is unimaginable without Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he said, adding that military equipment worth ₹6 lakh crore has been procured from Indian companies during the last 10 years.
“Atmanirbharta for India’s defence needs is the guarantee of self-confidence in the armed forces,” Modi said.
The strength of the armed forces increases in proportion to the economic muscle of the nation, he said. “When we become the third largest economy in the world, defence prowess will also touch new heights.”
The PM also enumerated the steps taken by the government for making India self-reliant in the defence sector, including policy reforms, roping in the private sector and encouraging MSMEs.
India has sharpened its focus on the defence manufacturing sector during the last five to six years and taken several measures to achieve self-reliance. These include banning the import of a range of weapons, systems and parts, creating a separate budget for buying locally made military hardware, increasing foreign direct investment from 49% to 74% and improving ease of doing business.
Read here: Modi at Pokhran: PM sees homegrown defence prowess at ‘Bharat Shakti’ exercise
Setting aside budget for India-made weapons and systems is one of the key measures to boost self-reliance. Around ₹1 lakh crore was earmarked for domestic procurement in the defence budget for 2023-24, compared to ₹84,598 crore, ₹70,221 crore and ₹51,000 crore in the three previous years.
The integrated tri-services “live fire and manoeuvre” exercise, Bharat Shakti, sought to demonstrate the strides India has made towards achieving self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector, with the simulated “shock and awe” assault on the enemy lasting barely 50 minutes.
