Page 13 - NIS English 16-31 Aug 2022
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Swavalamban Seminar  Nation


















        IN 2014, WORK BEGAN ON DEVELOPING                        vision of self-reliance in the defence sector

        A NEW DEFENCE ECO SYSTEM.                                at  the  'Swavalamban'  seminar  organised

        Prime Minister Modi stated that we began                 by the Naval Innovation and Indigenization
                                                                 Organization.
        working on mission mode in 2014. Learning                LEARN FROM THE PAST AND MOVE ON
        from the approach of previous decades, we are            The  Prime  Minister  stated  that  when
        now creating a new defence ecosystem with the
        combined strength of all our efforts. Defence R&D        discussing a self-reliant future in the defence
        is now open to the private sector and startups. By       sector, it is also necessary to draw lessons
        organising our public-sector defence companies           from the past decades. This will assist us
        into different sectors, we have given them new           in paving the way  for the future. Looking
        strength. Today, our attention is focused on how         back, we can see our rich maritime heritage.
        to connect our premier institutions, such as IITs,       This legacy includes India's extensive trade
        with defence research and innovation.                    routes. Our forefathers were able to dominate
                                                                 the ocean because they were well-versed in
        ATTENTION WAS NOT PAID ON RESEARCH                       wind direction and space science.

        OR BUILD NEW FACTORIES IN PAST                           INDIGENOUS WEAPONS NEED OF THE
                                                                 HOUR
        PM Modi said that in the first one and a half            We  have  not  only increased  the  defence
        decades after independence, we did not even              budget  over  the  last  eight years,  but we
        build new factories. Old factories lost their            have  also  ensured that  this  budget is
        capacity. In the policies under compulsion after         useful in the development of the country's
        the 1962 war, there was some change in the
        policies, but in this too; research, innovation,         defence manufacturing ecosystem. Today, a
        and development were not emphasized. At that             significant portion of the budget designated
        time, the world was relying on the private sector        for the  purchase  of defence  equipment
        for new technology and new innovations, but              is spent on procurement from Indian
        unfortunately, the defence sector was kept in the        companies. We have compiled a list of over
        purview of limited government resources. The             300 weapons  and equipments that  will  be
        Indian Army had to depend on foreign countries           made in India and used by our forces.
        for simple weapons like rifles.                          AND     THE    RESULTS      ARE    BEFORE
                                                                 EVERYONE...
                                                                 The results of such efforts are now visible. In
                                                                 the last five years, our defence imports have
                                                                 dropped by about 21%. In such a short time
                                                                 and not that we have done less to save money,
                                                                 we have given its alternative here. Today, we
                                                                 are rapidly transitioning from being the largest
                                                                 buyer of defence products to being a major
                                                                 exporter.

                                                                     New India Samachar    August 16-31, 2022  11
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