Defence Minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh on Friday claimed that India is fast moving towards the goal of self-reliance in defence production, underlining that the country now manufactures 65% of its equipment.
“There was a time when the country relied on other countries to meet its defence needs, and approximately 65 to 70 percent of defence equipment was imported. But today, this situation has changed; India now manufactures 65 percent of its equipment on its own soil. Now, no country dares to bully India.”
Singh was participating in a business gathering at Visvesvaraya Hall in Kaiserbagh. More than 500 businessmen from the city attended the event.
The Defence Minister urged the businessmen to set a day to sit together with him and discuss their problems, saying only through collective discussion can solutions be found. He wished the businessmen a Happy Diwali.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said, “India is progressing from the defence sector to the agricultural sector. It is our responsibility to buy and sell only indigenous products this Diwali.”
“Defence Minister Rajnath Singh constructed 10 flyovers to relieve the city of traffic problems. He built a 105-kilometer peripheral road around Lucknow. He also launched a peripheral train,” he said.
Later, the Defence Minister attended a Diwali get-together at the City Montessori School (CMS) in Gomtinagar Extension, where he interacted with educationists, social workers and students