Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has claimed that, “India is no longer weak. We are manufacturing our own weapons, and Uttar Pradesh is leading the way.”
He said, “This thinking, this hard work, and this path is what makes a country strong, and this is the path our government is following today.”
Rajnath Singh, along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister HD Kumaraswamy, inaugurated the Ashok Leyland EV Bus Manufacturing plant in Lucknow on Friday.
The Defence Minister, who is an MP from Lucknow said, “In 2014, our domestic defence production was only ₹46,000 crore, meaning we were able to manufacture weapons and equipment worth only ₹46,000 crore in India. But today, that has increased to a record high of over ₹1.5 lakh crore. In 2014, India’s defence exports were very low. We were able to sell weapons and equipment worth less than ₹1,000 crore to the world, but today that has increased to a record ₹25,000 crore. By 2029, our defence exports will go up to Rs 50,000 crores.”
Singh said, “I can say with confidence that the path to a developed India will lie through a developed Uttar Pradesh. Today, as we discuss electric vehicles, I would like to add that you too have experienced the network of roads and highways that have been laid across the country over the past 10-11 years under the leadership of our Prime Minister.”
He said, “Today, work related to national security has begun in Uttar Pradesh. The government has built a defense corridor here where weapons, ammunition, and warship equipment for the armed forces will now be manufactured in our state.”
He said, “This work is being done in six places: Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Agra, Aligarh, and Chitrakoot. So far, investments of more than Rs 34,000 crore have come here, where a large number of companies are setting up factories. The direct benefit of this is that people from our villages will find work here.”
Rajnath Singh said, “In addition, there is a BrahMos Aerospace factory in Lucknow, where the BrahMos missile is being manufactured. You must have seen the feat of BrahMos in Operation Sindoor. Now, this missile is not imported; it is manufactured in our own country, in our own Uttar Pradesh.”
Singh said, “Our government has taken several important steps to strengthen industrial development. Today, we have launched the “Make in India” initiative. Many major products that were previously imported from abroad are now being manufactured in India.”
The Defence Minister said, “In the coming years, we will see fewer oil-powered vehicles and more EVs. It’s also important for the environment that we promote EVs. Therefore, our government is paying more attention to these futuristic technologies and promoting them.”
The Defence Minister said, “To achieve this, we are simplifying all regulations to make it easier to establish industries. We are simplifying the previously difficult regulations. We have introduced an online system to ensure that no industrial unit faces difficulties in getting any document verified.”