Jabalpur: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said India's domestic defence production has nearly quadrupled over the last decade to around Rs 1.80 lakh crore, while exports have surged to nearly Rs 39,000 crore, as the country moves steadily towards self-reliance in the defence sector.
Singh made the remarks after laying the foundation stone of a Rs 472-crore facility for the overhaul of T-series battle tanks at the 57-year-old Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ), an ordnance unit here.
"Domestic defence (arms and ammunition) production, which stood at Rs 46,000 crore in 2014, has now reached approximately Rs 1.80 lakh crore. Similarly, defence exports have increased from around Rs 1,000 crore in 2014 to nearly Rs 39,000 crore," he said.
The government has set a target of achieving defence exports worth Rs 50,000 crore by 2028-29, the defence minister said.
"India's defence sector has now taken firm steps towards complete self-reliance. The world's perception of India is changing, and the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat is behind this transformation," Singh said.
He said India was not only manufacturing weapons domestically but was also developing the capability to maintain, overhaul and upgrade them.
"Today's project is another link in the chain of self-reliance. In the coming years, India will emerge as a strong country in defence manufacturing," Singh said, adding that all stakeholders must discharge their responsibilities with utmost seriousness.
He described the tank overhaul project as a major milestone for India's self-reliant industrial ecosystem.
"This is not an ordinary project. It reflects India's growing capabilities and will prove to be a boon for our soldiers, who use these tanks to destroy the enemy," Singh said.
The project would also open up employment opportunities for local people, he added.
Expressing confidence that the facility would be completed on schedule and to high-quality standards, Singh said the upcoming project would overhaul 80 T-72 and T-90 tanks annually.
The Indian Army requires the overhaul of around 230 such tanks every year, he added.
The Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) at Avadi currently overhauls around 150 tanks annually, and the new facility at VFJ will bridge the remaining shortfall, the defence minister said.
VFJ, where the tank overhaul facility is coming up, is a premier military vehicle manufacturing unit operating under Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL).
Established in 1969, the factory initially produced Shaktiman 3-tonne vehicles in collaboration with Germany's MAN, as well as Nissan 1T and Jonga vehicles in collaboration with Japan's Nissan Motors Co.
The factory complex is spread over 330 acres, while its adjoining estate covers another 600 acres, officials said.
