Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today accused the previous governments of not paying much attention to the defence sector, thus affecting the nation’s strategic autonomy.

Before the Modi government came to power in 2014, the defence sector lagged behind due to lack of investment, innovation and research & development. This led to dependence on imports to meet the country’s defence requirements, he said.

The minister was inaugurating several iconic events of the Department of Defence Production (DDP), as part of the Ministry of Defence dedicated week from December 13-19, 2021 to celebrate ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ commemorating 75 years of Independence. A virtual exhibition, ‘Path to Pride’, public exhibitions, curated museums and a booklet showcasing 75 resolutions of DDP were inaugurated by Rajnath.

Sharing his insights on what freedom means to a nation, Rajnath said; ”freedom is not just a thing to be attained or earned… it is also a thing to maintain, for which one has to strive continuously. Freedom is not a goal, but a path. To a sovereign nation, freedom means the ability and capacity to take any decision related to defence and socio-economic development. In any situation, we can take a decision only when we are completely self-reliant.”

He was of the view that while India attained freedom in the fields such as agriculture, education and health post-Independence, not much attention was paid towards the defence sector till the Modi government assumed office in 2014.

Saying that this government does not shy away from taking bold decisions in the interest of the Nation, he listed out a number of policy reforms aimed at promoting self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

 Rajnath appreciated the fact that the private sector has contributed to about 90 per cent of the country’s defence exports. He exuded confidence that this active and continued partnership between the government and the private sector will help to soon achieve ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ as envisioned by Prime Minister Modi.

He hoped that the week-long events will generate awareness among people about the progress made in the defence sector, instill national spirit and further strengthen their trust in the country’s defence preparedness.