India positioning itself as a key player in global defence ecosystem: Rajnath

NEW DELHI: India's annual defence production is expected to cross Rs 1.6 lakh crore this year, while arms exports should reach Rs 30,000 crore, defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday. India is not only securing its borders but also positioning itself as "a key player" in international defence ecosystem by reducing its dependency on imports and building a strong defence-industrial complex, Singh said.

"Today, while India's defence sector is moving ahead on the path of self-reliance, it is also ready to play a very important role in making global supply chains resilient," he said, addressing a defence conclave organised by The Week. "The day is not far when India will not only emerge as a developed country, but our military power will also emerge as the number one in the world," he added.

The armed forces, on their part, are gearing up to face the multi-spectrum challenges of modern-day warfare, where cyber and space are rapidly emerging as new battlefields, while a war of narratives and perception is also being fought all over the world.

The focus of the armed forces is on "holistic capacity-building", indigenisation and innovation, while undertaking "continuous structural reforms", to address these challenges with future conflicts likely to become more violent, unpredictable, asymmetric and technology-driven, Singh said. India's growing defence capabilities are not meant to provoke conflict, but for credible deterrence to maintain peace and tranquillity. "Peace is possible only when we remain strong," Singh added. TNN