Vadodara, June 30 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said investment in the defence sector generated benefits beyond national security by supporting industrial development, employment, infrastructure and technological innovation.

Addressing industrialists, entrepreneurs and investors at the valedictory session of the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC), Singh said defence manufacturing had become an important component of India’s broader economic development strategy.

“Every investment made in defence becomes the foundation not only of national security but also of economic growth, industrial progress and national prosperity,” he said.

Singh said defence corridors and manufacturing facilities created opportunities across logistics, infrastructure, research and development while strengthening the country’s industrial ecosystem.

“The creation of defence corridors generates new opportunities in infrastructure, logistics, industry and employment. The promotion of research and development, technology and innovation strengthens the entire industrial base,” he said.

The minister said the government had simplified defence licensing procedures, liberalised foreign direct investment policies and established defence industrial corridors to encourage private investment.

He added that reforms, including the Srijan Portal, iDEX, Defence Testing Infrastructure, Green Channel Certification and Self-Certification, had expanded opportunities for MSMEs and start-ups.

“Our objective is to create a defence ecosystem where innovation, industry and self-reliance together will strengthen the security capabilities of a new India even more than before,” he said.

Singh said Gujarat possessed the industrial capacity to become a major defence manufacturing hub.

“Gujarat has a robust industrial base, a skilled workforce and an entrepreneurial spirit that can play a very significant role in this journey towards self-reliance,” he noted.

He cited the Tata-Airbus C-295 aircraft manufacturing project in Vadodara as India’s first private-sector military aircraft manufacturing facility and described it as “a historic milestone in India’s aerospace journey”.

Singh also referred to the manufacture of the K-9 Vajra self-propelled artillery system in Gujarat, saying it had strengthened the armed forces’ capabilities.

He said Gujarat’s chemical, petrochemical, electronics, shipbuilding and port sectors could support advanced defence manufacturing by producing specialised materials, avionics, sensors, communication systems and naval equipment.

The minister also highlighted the state’s progress in renewable energy and green hydrogen, saying these sectors could contribute to future defence technologies.

“Gujarat possesses the entire ecosystem required for a defence manufacturing hub, and I firmly believe that Gujarat can become a major hub for defence manufacturing,” he noted.

Singh urged Gujarat’s industrialists and young innovators to use the state’s strengths in industry, innovation and entrepreneurship to contribute to India’s defence manufacturing ambitions. “Together, these three strengths can take India to new heights in defence manufacturing,” he said.

He added that the Ministry of Defence regularly organised seminars and webinars to facilitate engagement with industry and provide information on investment opportunities and government policies.

–IANS

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