New Delhi: Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined an ambitious vision for India’s national security and defence manufacturing. Emphasizing the need to become a global supplier of next generation defence technologies, the Prime Minister announced that the country is working aggressively on ‘Mission Sudarshan Chakra’ to secure its borders and vital infrastructure.
Highlighting the profound shift in modern warfare, the Prime Minister pointed out that future conflicts will not be restricted merely to geographical borders. Modern wars now increasingly target critical civilian infrastructure, including oil refineries, banking sectors, and data centers. He asserted that developing advanced counter measures is the only way forward. According to the Prime Minister, India must lead the world in manufacturing drones, counter drone systems, and highly advanced hypersonic defence technologies to protect its strategic interests.
During his address, the Prime Minister declared that “Raksha Shakti” or defence power is one of the seven key pillars required to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. Sharing the remarkable progress made in the last 12 years, he stated that the country’s domestic defence production has grown nearly four times. Furthermore, India’s defence exports have witnessed a massive fifty fold increase, with indigenous weapons now reaching around 100 countries across the globe.
Stressing the absolute necessity of self reliance, the Prime Minister firmly stated that India can no longer remain just a lucrative consumer market for foreign weapons. Relying on imported defence equipment might be cheaper and faster, but it utterly fails to build internal capacities or test national strength. He proudly noted that the citizens have passionately embraced initiatives like Make in India and Vocal for Local, which are vital for a self reliant defence ecosystem.
In a major policy announcement, the Prime Minister also addressed the pressing need to revamp the country’s civil defence mechanism. Acknowledging that the current civil defence systems designed for past century wars have become entirely obsolete, he announced the creation of a massive, modern voluntary civil defence force. This new nationwide network will be trained and equipped with modern systems to tackle emerging security challenges and ensure that every citizen contributes to building a secure India.