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NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said self-reliance was the “only way to stay relevant and ready in the present era of uncertainty” and emphasised that the global situation had led to the “realignment of supply chains, formation of new equations and constant rise in maritime activities, reaffirming govt’s resolve of attaining self-reliance in every field”.”Strait of Hormuz or the entire Persian Gulf region is crucial for global energy security. When there is a disturbance in the region, it directly impacts the supply of oil and gas. Moreover, we’re witnessing supply chain disruptions in other sectors as well. These uncertainties have a direct impact on the economy and global trade. The global scenario is an abnormal situation. What is more worrying is the fact that this abnormality is becoming the new normal,” he said.
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Inaugurating ‘Sagar Sankalp – Reclaiming India’s Maritime Glory’, a defence and maritime dialogue in Kolkata, Singh said, “Govt’s efforts for self-reliance in the defence sector are yielding positive results as domestic defence production surpassed a record figure of Rs 1.5 lakh crore in fiscal 2024-25, with defence exports touching an all-time high of Rs 24,000 crore.” He said defence exports were poised to reach Rs 29,000 crore by April 2026 and the government has set a target of exporting defence equipment worth Rs 50,000 crore by FY 2029-2030. “Old ideas, old global order and old perceptions are changing rapidly. These are the uncertainties we need to understand. The current situation in West Asia is a prime example. What is happening there is quite unusual. It is difficult to make concrete comments about the future course of events in West Asia or in our neighborhood,” he said.Terming defence public sector undertakings a key pillar of govt’s self-reliance vision, he said that in the shipbuilding sector, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd and other shipyards have also been given special focus to make the domestic industrial ecosystem strong and futuristic. “The goal is to develop ships into technology hubs, not just production units,” he said.Describing “technological dynamism” as another crucial element in today’s world, the minister said technology was bringing about unprecedented changes in every sphere of life, and it was even more clearly visible in the defence sector. He highlighted that high-end and precision technologies were being used in the defence sector, and govt aimed to achieve ‘atmanirbharta’ in defence tech to stay ready for emerging and future challenges. He acknowledged that private industries made up 25% of the defence platforms/equipment and accessories manufactured in the country, and expressed confidence that this share would increase to 50% of total defence production by value soon.
