"Conventional warfare still as relevant as it was in 1947": Rajnath Singh stresses need for strong military-industrial base
Nagpur, June 19
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that despite the changing nature of warfare and the emergence of new-age security threats, conventional military capabilities will continue to remain relevant, making a strong military-industrial base essential for the country's security.
Addressing the Bhoomi Pujan Samaroh for the 10,000-ton Aluminium Extrusion Press at Yantra India Limited (YIL) in Nagpur, Singh said wars today are taking new forms, with borders becoming increasingly blurred and adversaries often operating in ways that are difficult to detect.
"We often say that the war is changing forms, borders are blurring, enemies go undetectable leaving armies standing, and the country is destabilised. Still, conventional warfare and means are still as relevant as they were in 1947. Even in 2047, they will continue to be relevant as they are today," he said.
Defence Minister said the importance of a strong military-industrial base would continue for decades and stressed the need to strengthen indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities to meet future challenges. Referring to the corporatisation of the erstwhile Ordnance Factory Board in 2021, Singh said the government had envisioned creating autonomous entities capable of driving innovation, research, and exports.
"After corporatisation in 2021, we had a clear goal. We had this idea in mind that the new units coming into existence should be given full autonomy to operate. They should be given a full opportunity to advance in the field of innovation, risk-taking, research, and export. Their capacity should expand, and they scale new heights," he said.
Expressing satisfaction over the progress made by the new entities, Rajnath Singh said they were moving in the intended direction and contributing to the government's vision of building a self-reliant defence manufacturing ecosystem.
The Defence Minister was addressing the gathering after performing the Bhoomi Pujan for a state-of-the-art 10,000-ton Aluminium Extrusion Press at YIL's Ordnance Factory Ambajhari facility in Nagpur. The project is expected to enhance India's capability to manufacture critical aluminium alloy extrusions for defence and aerospace applications.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting perspective from Singh. I'm an American living in India and I see how the military-industrial push is very real here. Corporatising ordnance factories was a bold move — let's hope it pays off.
Good to see focus on domestic manufacturing! But we need to ensure these new entities actually deliver quality products on time. Past record of ordnance factories has been mixed. Let's hope autonomy brings accountability. 🇮🇳
Rajnath ji is spot on. Our borders are active — Pakistan and China aren't going away. Even with cyber threats, a soldier with a rifle and a tank battalion is what holds the Line of Control. Make in India for defence is the way forward. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
As a defence analyst, I'd say Singh is navigating a tricky balance. Modern warfare is hybrid — you need both stealth drones and heavy artillery. The 10,000-ton press is impressive for aerospace needs. But will India's private sector step up?
Corporatisation sounds good on paper but I hope workers' interests are protected. YIL has skilled labour — they need proper training and modern equipment, not just new management. Let's see how this aluminium press actually benefits our jawans on the ground.
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