The defense sector is the foundation for building a self-reliant, developed India by 2047, said Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.
A DRDO-industry coordination meeting titled ‘Vimarsh-2026’ was held in Delhi on Tuesday under the aegis of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Speaking at the meeting, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said: The vision of building a developed India by 2047 is not merely about constructing an economically strong nation.
It is about building a nation that is technologically self-reliant, socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and strategically secure. The defense sector is the foundation for this vision.
By 2047, self-reliance must be achieved in critical technologies. Domestic production must increase significantly, and defense manufacturing must grow manifold. India’s strong presence in the global supply chain must be ensured. This cannot be achieved without excellent cooperation among all stakeholders.
The collaboration between DRDO and the defense industry should not stop at mere production. It should extend to research, design, certification, and the entire manufacturing chain.
In this manufacturing chain, micro, small, and medium enterprises, along with large companies and innovation-driven firms, should become integrated partners.
Importance of technologies: Emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence and drones, will play a major role in future wars. Therefore, India’s defense equipment manufacturing sector must accelerate technological innovation.
There is currently interest in how artificial intelligence can be used to create an image like the one from the 1980s (AI photo posts from the 1980s that have become popular on the internet).
Similarly, if we try to create an image of what the country’s future will look like in the next 40–50 years, that too would be exciting. The companies that invest now in new, emerging technologies will emerge as ‘technology leaders’ in the future.
As a global manufacturing hub..: We must not stop at imagining future technologies, but should already be engaged in the work that makes them possible. Because only countries that are at the forefront of technology can perform strategically well in future wars. Only such countries can build their future strongly.
In the defense sector, unprecedented reforms have been carried out in the past few years. If DRDO and industry work hand in hand, India can be transformed into a global defense manufacturing hub.
He said that self-reliance must become inseparably woven into our soul, mind, emotions, and thinking.
