New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday pitched for making India a global defence manufacturing hub, emphasising self-reliance in advanced capabilities like hypersonic technology and drone systems while listing ‘Raksha Shakti’ among seven key pillars to build a developed nation by 2047.
In his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Modi, delving into external and internal security threats facing the nation, announced that a comprehensive network of civil defence personnel will be developed.
The prime minister also said that work on Sudarshan Chakra, an indigenous air defence system, is going on at a fast pace.
Modi had announced the project on August 15, last year. Sudarshan Chakra is aimed at boosting India’s air defence system to protect vital military and civilian installations and to deliver a decisive response to any enemy threat.
The prime minister said India must become self-reliant in the defence sector.
“There is no alternative to being self-reliant in defence. When countries around the world are increasingly thinking about their own interests, Bharat cannot simply remain a market for the world,” he said.
“We must become self-reliant in the defence sector. We must set ourselves the goal of developing next-generation defence technologies and moving towards becoming a global supplier. We must develop drones and counter-drone systems, and we must take leadership in hypersonic defence technologies,” he added.
The prime minister also laid out a roadmap for India’s economic and strategic rise through what he described as seven streams, or “saptadharas”, of development.
Modi listed manufacturing, agriculture and food processing, technology and innovation, infrastructure, defence, the green and blue economy, and soft power as areas of focus as the ‘saptadhara’ streams.
The prime minister also made a mention of the C-295 military transport aircraft project.
“We have achieved success in moving towards the manufacture of Made-in-India aircraft. The Made-in-India defence transport aircraft, the C295, has already taken to the skies and completed a successful flight,” he said.
The IAF is procuring 56 C-295 transport aircraft of Airbus at a cost of around Rs 21,935 crore. Forty of these aircraft will be assembled by Tata Advanced Systems Limited in cooperation with Airbus at a production facility in Vadodara.
In his remarks, Modi reiterated the government’s resolve to realise the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, asserting that the nation should no longer live by depending on other countries.
“There may be many things available in the world that are cheaper and can be obtained more quickly. But relying on them does not build our own capabilities, nor does it test the strength of our capabilities,” he said.
“Therefore, we must strengthen our own capacities and protect our own interests ourselves. That is why we are moving forward with a firm resolve for Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” he noted. Modi added that cybersecurity is also an area of defence where the nation can harness the capabilities of the youth for the benefit of the country and the world.
He underscored the need to focus on indigenous defence equipment while enhancing the capabilities of the defence forces to stay prepared in the current changing times.
“The nature of warfare is changing today; there is no longer a guarantee that conflict will be confined to the borders. Modern warfare can target refineries, the banking sector, or data centers, in a sense, a new form of combat where infrastructure and factories are being destroyed,” he said.
Modi also emphasised that building a secure India is the responsibility of every citizen, and called for enhanced preparedness to deal with emerging threats. “The civil defence systems that have developed in our country in accordance with the wars of the last century have become outdated,” he said.
“In the coming days, we will create a vibrant network of civil defence. We will familiarise them with modern systems. We are going to create a huge voluntary force of civil defence to overcome modern challenges,” he said.
Highlighting the transformation witnessed in the defence sector in the last 12 years, Modi stated that defence production has increased nearly fourfold.
Without specifying any timeline, the prime minister said that defence exports have risen by almost 50 times, with Indian weapons reaching about 100 countries.
“Whether the challenge is within or beyond the borders, India is prepared for any situation’¦ India’s reputation is gradually increasing on the global stage,” he said.
In the last few years, the government has rolled out a series of policy intiatives to boost domestic defence manufacturing.
The volume of India’s domestic defence production was recorded at Rs 1.78 lakh crore in the financial year 2025-26 as against Rs 46,000 crore in 2014, according to latest government data.
The defence exports have reached Rs 38,424 crore in the financial year 2025-26.
The prime minister also highlighted the growing role of ‘Nari Shakti’ in nation-building, including in the defence forces.
“Our daughters graduating from the NDA are demonstrating the capability to lead the nation’s military with great confidence and authority,” he said. PTI MPB ZMN
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