New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the defence sector should tap India's strength in information technology while stressing that cyber security is integral to national security.
Addressing a webinar on 'Aatmanirbharta in Defence-Call to Action', PM Modi stated that cyber security "has become a matter of national security".
"India's IT sector is our great strength. The more we use this power in our defence sector, the more confident we will be in our security. For example, cyber security is no longer limited to the digital world only. It has become a matter of national security," said the Prime Minister.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister also informed that in the last 5-6 years, the country has increased its defence exports by six times.
"It is also very pleasant to know that in the last 5-6 years, we have increased defence exports by six times. Today we are providing 'Made in India' defence equipment and services to more than 75 countries," he said. He said that last year, seven new defence public undertakings were set up.
"Our ordnance factories have shown that when we move forward with determination and full sincerity we achieve desired results. Last year, we created seven new defence public undertakings. Today, they are expanding capacities rapidly and are reaching new markets." The further stated that more than 350 new industrial licenses have been issued for defence manufacturing in the last seven years in line with the government's encouragement to 'Make in India'.
In the fourteen years from 2001 to 2014, only 200 such licenses were issued, he added. The Prime Minister said that "transparent, time-bound, pragmatic and fair systems of trial, testing and certification are essential to the growth of the vibrant defence industry".
"For this, an independent system can prove useful in solving problems," he added.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Defence in an official statement said that the Union Budget 2022-23 related to the Ministry of Defence "has given further impetus to Aatmanirbharta in Defence".
Today's webinar has been organised by the Ministry of Defence in order to take all the stakeholders on board in taking forward the various initiatives of the Government in the defence sector.
