Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Make in India, Make for the World, says Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, Sep 16: Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India) is making India one of the strongest and most respected countries in the world, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at an event in New Delhi on Friday.

The minister also said that New India would not be dependent on any country to fulfill its needs, especially those related to security.

On self-reliance in defence, Rajnath Singh said the commitment of the government is to provide the Armed Forces with indigenously developed modern weapons and equip them to deal with all future challenges.

The minister also expressed confidence and said that the domestic industry has the capacity to manufacture the latest defence platforms in water, land, sky and space in the next few years.

Rajnath Singh said, defence exports, which were once Rs 1,900 crore, have now crossed Rs 13,000 crore. He mentioned the country's first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, with 76 per cent indigenous content, which was commissioned on September 02 in Kochi.

The defence minister, however, made it clear that 'Aatmanirbharta' does not mean isolation. He defined it as India's resolve to give hope and relief to the whole world.

"Today, the world has realised that manufacturing hub should not be in any one country. In the changed circumstances, big MNCs are exploring new options to decentralise its manufacturing. India not only fulfills that quest, but also gives hope that this manufacturing shift has the potential to provide a new lift to the entire global economy," said a statement issued by the ministry of defence.

The statement also said that 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' opens new doors with an open mind. "Our aim is to safeguard national interests and, at the same time, help our friendly countries to achieve their goals. The vision is clear - 'Make in India, Make for the World,'" he said.

Rajnath Singh added that India has become the world's 5th largest economy. In the last eight years, procedural as well as structural reforms have been undertaken.

The defence minister lauded the timely and bold decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the COVID outbreak and the Russia-Ukraine crisis. He said that decisions have transformed India's image in the world from a silent observer to an assertor and a provider.