New Delhi, October 13
India cannot and should not rely on imports of military hardware and the government is committed to achieving self-reliance in defence production to remain prepared to deal with any future security challenges, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday.
Towards self-reliance
Self-reliance does not mean isolation from the rest of the world, but to ensure national security through modern military. Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister
He also noted that “atmanirbharta” did not mean isolation from the rest of the world, but to ensure national security and strategic autonomy through a modern military. He was addressing a conference of defence attaches (DAs) posted in Indian missions across the globe.
The conference was also attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan and the three service chiefs.
In his address, Rajnath described the defence attaches as the bridge between India and friendly foreign countries for mutual defence cooperation. He also urged them to showcase the capabilities of the Indian defence industry in their countries of postings.
Rajnath said the DAs were making a significant contribution in securing national interests in line with the country’s foreign policy. He called upon the DAs to carry forward the government’s vision of achieving self-reliance in defence manufacturing, describing it as the only way to make India strong and respected amid constantly-evolving global scenario.
