 "Reforms in armed forces necessary to maintain supremacy during wars: Murmu")
Nearly 70 per cent of the total procurement of defence forces was sourced from domestic firms last year, President Droupadi Murmu said on Thursday, outlining the government's focus to boost production of critical military hardware within India.
In an address to a joint sitting of Parliament, Murmu said modernisation of the armed forces is essential for a strong India and that reforms in the military should be a continuous process to ensure that it maintains "supremacy" during wars.
Listing steps to boost domestic defence production, she said the reforms undertaken in the sector have resulted in India now manufacturing defence equipment worth more than Rs one lakh crore.
The president said the BrahMos missile deal with the Philippines has strengthened India's standing in the defence export sector.
"Modernisation of our armed forces is essential for a strong India. Reforms in our armed forces should be a continuous process so that our forces maintain their supremacy during wars," she said.
"Guided by this, my Government has introduced many reforms in the defence sector in the last 10 years. Reforms like CDS (Chief of Defence Staff) have given new strength to our defence forces," she said.
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Murmu also highlighted the government's focus on boosting domestic defence industries and how it is working on developing two defence corridors -- one in Uttar Pradesh and the other in Tamil Nadu.
"It is a matter of joy for all of us that last year nearly 70 per cent of the total procurement of the defence forces has been sourced from Indian manufacturers only," she said.
"Our defence forces have decided not to import over 500 defence items. All these arms and defence related equipment are being procured only from Indian companies," Murmu noted.
The president also talked about India's rising defence exports.
"In the last decade, our defence exports have increased more than 18 times to the level of Rs 21,000 crore," she said.
"The BrahMos Missile defence deal with the Philippines has strengthened India's standing in defence export sector," Murmu said.
Two weeks back, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the government will work assiduously to increase the defence exports to Rs 50,000 crore by 2028-29 from current Rs 21,083 crore.
Under a 2022 deal, India is supplying three batteries of the missiles, their launchers and related equipment to the Philippines.
In April, India delivered the first batch of the missile to the Philippines.
The president mentioned various steps initiated by the government to make the defence sector self-reliant.
"The defence sector has greatly benefitted from the reforms in ordnance factories. More than 40 ordnance factories have been restructured into seven defence sector enterprises, resulting in improvement of their capacity and efficiency," she said.
"It is due to such reforms that India is now manufacturing defence equipment worth more than Rs one lakh crore," she added.
The value of defence production in 2022-23 crossed the figure of Rs one lakh crore for the first time, according to the defence ministry.
The president said the government has always given priority to the needs of the personnel in the armed forces.
"That is why after four decades, One Rank One Pension has been implemented. Under this, Rs 1,20,000 crore have been disbursed till date," she said.
"In the honour of our martyrs, the government has also established the National War Memorial at one end of Kartavya Path," Murmu said.
"These efforts are not only salutations from a grateful nation for its brave soldiers but also a source of constant inspiration for the ideal of Nation First," she said.