New Delhi: Minister of State (MoS) for Defence Shripad Naik reiterated that the government is committed in pursuing defence modernisation.

Addressing India Defence and Security Expo 2019 on the theme ‘Make in India 2.0’ at Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi on September 27, Naik said, the government under the dynamic and effective leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has enhanced defence production in the country under the ‘Make in India’ Initiative.

“It is time, Indian Armed Forces fought wars in the Subcontinent with Indian industry made weapon systems”, he said.

Underlining the significance of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Defence Production, he called upon all concerned to focus on MSMEs, saying they are employment generators, innovators, focussed with niche expertise, flexible, adaptive and resilient and that they have the power to shape the future of the national Defence Industry.

Advocating an integrated approach to the defence industry, Naik said, “it is time we do not talk of, ‘we’ and ‘they’ and find methods of PPP between DPSUs/OFB and the private sector. The efficiencies in the global industry through best practices must be taken advantage of.”

Appreciating the industry for giving attention to the Defence Industry Corridors, Naik said that the industry was capable of creating holistic capabilities in various identified disciplines for achieving strategic Independence. “Our government is looking at the big picture, that of ‘Strategic Independence’. This can be effectively established only if we can reduce our import dependence,” he said.