Kolkata, March 6 (IANS). Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a visit to West Bengal, participated in the “Maritime Conclave Sagar Sankalp” organized in Kolkata on Friday. Addressing the program, Rajnath Singh said, “The land of West Bengal has a different energy. On one hand, this land has given literature and art to India and on the other hand, it has also given direction to national pride during the freedom struggle. There was a time when any item came by sea route, Kolkata used to be the centre. Situated on the banks of Hubli, this city has been a witness to the economic strength of the country.
Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, while addressing the conclave organized by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited, said that media is not only a medium of giving information but also gives a direction to the society. Rajnath Singh said that when we pay attention to the glorious history of India, we come to know many things. From two and a half thousand years ago till the medieval period, India has been a major center of global trade.
He said that at a time when many parts of the world were in the initial stages of development, India was playing an important role in the fields of knowledge, trade and culture. At that time, Indian ships used to travel far and wide through sea routes. Our contact was established with the Roman Empire and Mesopotamia civilization. At that time, Indian traders and seafarers had access to Sri Lanka and South East Asia, Cambodia and Indonesia.
The Defense Minister said that keeping in mind the importance of the maritime sector, it is important that we move forward taking together our ancient knowledge and modern technology. The nation that takes inspiration from its history strengthens the future with confidence.
Today the maritime sector has changed a lot as compared to before. Today, the maritime sector is no longer limited to just trade routes or naval power, but has become an important basis for national security, economic development, technological innovation and strategic autonomy.
High-end and precise technology is being used in the defense sector today, that is why the Central Government has been thinking from the beginning that in this period of uncertainty, the only solution to avoid disruptions in the supply chain is ‘self-reliance’. A key axis of our vision of self-reliance is the Defense Public Sector Undertakings. Now special emphasis is being laid on transparency, financial discipline, performance benchmarking and R&D.
The Defense Minister further said, the public sector has been a priority in India’s defense sector. Earlier the Ordnance Factory Board played a major role in defense manufacturing. Defense Public Sector Undertakings in various sectors including four shipyards made significant contributions to national security. But, in view of the continuing pressure and with the objective of providing qualitative and quantitative increase to our defense production, several structural and policy reforms have been implemented. Which will increase efficiency, accountability and competitiveness.
These shipyards are targeted to be developed as technology centres, along with production units. Efforts are being made to bring these up to global standards through infrastructure modernisation, digital ship design tools, modular construction techniques and supply chain integration. We are also succeeding in our objectives.
He said, “Our aim has been that the public sector and the private sector should move forward shoulder to shoulder and today this is happening. Its good results are also in front of us. Today about 25 percent contribution in the defense material, platforms, equipment and accessories produced in the country is coming from private industries.”
He said, “It is a matter of pride that private industries are continuously doing better. India has taken its steps towards self-reliance in the defense sector with full speed. Till the last financial year, our domestic defense production has crossed the record figure of Rs 1.5 lakh crore. Also, our defense export has also crossed the record figure of Rs 24,000 crore. However, we should not get overwhelmed by these figures. We have to go further.”
He said, “Self-reliance is no longer just a slogan for us but is being established as a practical reality. Today the situation is that the positive results of the self-reliance with which we had moved forward are in front of us. Today for the Indian Navy too, all the warships and submarines that are on order are being built in Indian shipyards. Today we are developing within ourselves the entire capability of design, engineering, construction. When we say that we have become a builders navy, then This is not a slogan, this is the ground reality.”
–IANS
OP/Piyush