"India became 'aatmnirbhar' in defence under PM Modi's leadership": Ashwini Vaishnaw

On the historic occasion of the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw praised the Modi government, stating that India has become 'aatmanirbhar' (self-reliant) in the defence sector under its leadership.

Addressing the media, Ashwini Vaishnaw said, "Today is a historic Kargil Vijay Diwas. Under PM Modi's leadership over the last 10 years, India has become aatmanirbhar in the defence sector due to significant reforms. There are three major points to highlight.

Firstly, around 70 percent of our defence products are now manufactured in India. The production value of defence equipment in India has surpassed Rs 1 lakh crore. The valuation of Public Sector Units (PSUs) in the defence sector has reached new heights.

The proudest moment is that 'Made in India' defence products are being exported to 80 countries, worth Rs 25,000 crore. Ten years ago, India had to import bulletproof jackets, but now we have taken the lead in the design sector as well. We have more than 300 startups in this sector. We have our own designed and manufactured artillery guns, which are also being exported."

Vaishnaw further added, "The second issue is infrastructure. Ten years ago, there was no road construction in the border areas, but under PM Modi's leadership, more than 6,800 kilometres of roads have been constructed in these regions. PM Modi has worked on roads, railways, telecom, connectivity, and optical fibres for our soldiers."

The Union Minister highlighted the third major point, which is structural reforms in the sector. He said, "The introduction of the post of CDS (Chief of Defence Staff) has brought needed integration in the defence sector, allowing all three wings to work more effectively. During the Congress government, there were only scams.

They prioritised the party and named the islands after their leaders and family members. In contrast, we (BJP) name them in honour of our soldiers. All facilities in the border areas have been improved under PM Modi's leadership."

Earlier in the day, PM Modi paid tribute to the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice during the 1999 Kargil War. The Prime Minister laid a wreath at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass, Ladakh, marking the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed annually on July 26, commemorates the success of Operation Vijay in 1999, during which Indian forces successfully reclaimed strategic positions in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir that had been infiltrated by Pakistani soldiers and terrorists.