Defence import dependency could become hindrance to strategic autonomy, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said self-reliance in defence is essential for strengthening the security apparatus of the country. Addressing the 12th convocation ceremony of Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) in Pune, Singh said dependence on import of defence equipment can become a hindrance to India’s strategic autonomy.

This is the reason the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making all-out efforts to achieve self-reliance in the sector, he said. Without self-reliance, we cannot take independent decisions on global issues in line with our national interests. More equipment we import; more adverse impact it will have on our balance of trade.

We aim to become a net exporter instead of net importer. It will not only strengthen our economy, but increase employment opportunities, he said. Singh said self-reliance does not mean isolation from the world. Today, the world has become a global village and isolation isn’t possible. The aim of self-reliance is to meet the needs of the armed forces by building necessary equipment/platforms with our own capacity while fulfilling the security requirements of our friendly countries, he said.

The Ministry of Defence is constantly receiving innovative ideas, he said. Over 6,000 applications were received in the last seven editions of the Defence India Start-up Challenge, which indicates that Indian start-ups are contributing significantly in the pursuit of self-reliance in the defence sector. More patents are being filed, which is a sign of the innovative prowess, he said.