A vision being all about what was strived for and what was going to be achieved – an inspiring process as well as rewarding process – must be followed by a strategy to accomplish the desired goals . Today’s India has a vision and is striving for becoming one of the top five countries of the world in defence and aerospace industries with greater emphasis on self reliance . We, as a leading country in defence production indigenously , can ably boast of currently manufacturing fourth generation fighter aircraft , nuclear submarine, main battle tank , inter – continental ballistic missiles and other military hardware of strategic importance. Since India is emerging as a big market for international commercial interest comprising not only trading for bi-lateral interests with individual countries but a safe destination for investments , manufacturing in defence sector assumes greater importance . There being less of too much of regulatory restrictions now and adherence to and emphasis more on single window clearance coupled with stability , peace and assured returns , expectations of more investments and even buying of military equipment and defence products by countries, gains more ascendancy. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in this connection, has rightly reiterated that India is basically a peace loving country and indigenous defence capabilities are the “foundations to enduring peace “. However, during the current stand-off with China in eastern Ladakh, such statements have far reaching connotations than what on the face they might simply look.
The Defence Minister, in a virtual address to a group of Foreign Envoys highlighted various reform measures initiated by the Government to make India a hub of production of key military platforms and weapons system. These envoys comprising Ambassadors, heads of missions and Defence attachés of different countries numbering 75 attended the on line conclave and most of them were expected to be part of upcoming Aero- India Exhibition in its traditional venue of Bengaluru.
The need to showcase India increasingly as an attractive destination for investments in defence manufacturing sector has never been as important and earnestly required as it is now . Agreed, there could be various humps and impediments in India’s way and programme to emerge as one of the important hubs in defence production mainly from belligerent external forces but that all could be easily surmounted which should be accompanied with no apprehensions . However, any problems in natural alliances in ”purposeful and progressive manner” as the Defence Minister put it, to join hands to ”make this world a more secure, peaceful and prosperous place” carries much significance. This contention too may be taken in metaphorical sense since free and unhindered commerce between countries would surely result in more of peace and prosperity among the trading countries and why not , therefore, to take a leap from conventional agricultural and industrial goods and products to defence and aerospace trading too . That would make the vision of India emerging one of the big top five countries globally in these twin critical sectors.
Today’s world is more of commerce and trade and each country was interested in getting benefitted according to the potentialities and economic strengths of one another, the upcoming event at Bengaluru that of Aero-India , Asia’s largest aerospace exhibition, needs to be fully explored and exploited for evoking increased interest by international participants leading to an effective good ”sale” of our defence items. In this connection, since more than three months time is still left, the Defence Minister ”advised” the participants to mobilise enough opportunities in their respective countries by encouraging (rather motivating) the policy planners and defence manufacturers to participate in the exhibition and thus strike deals. The prospects of the success of the event can be gauged by the fact that 90 percent of the space in the exhibition has already been booked. The theme of the Exhibition , slated to be held from February 3 to 7 next year, is going to be “runway to billion opportunities”. It may be underlined, in this context, that the country intends to achieve a turnover of US$ 25 billion with exports of US$5 billion in defence goods by 2025.
Follow our WhatsApp channel