Rajnath Singh, Chandrababu Naidu lay foundation for key defence projects in A.P.
Puttaparti: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday laid the foundation stones and presided over the groundbreaking ceremonies for a series of strategic aerospace and defence projects at Puttaparthi in Sri Sathya Sai district.
Foundation stones were laid for the Core Integration & Flight Testing Centre at Puttaparthi to fast-track development of the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and other indigenous platforms, and for the Naval Systems Manufacturing Facility at T. Sirasapalli village in Anakapalli district to produce advanced underwater weapon and naval combat systems.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the Defence Energetics Facility and the Ammunition & Electric Fuses Plant at Madakasira in Sri Sathya Sai district. A consortium of eight drone companies also announced the establishment of a Drone City in Kurnool. Several companies exchanged MoUs with the State government to set up defence units.
Terming the launch of the projects 'truly historic', Mr. Rajnath Singh said self-reliance in defence manufacturing was critical to safeguard national interests in an era of global turbulence. 'In matters of national security, the aim must be to achieve self-reliance rather than perpetual dependence on other nations,' he said.
He said the projects would cater to all three Services and mark a milestone in the nation's pursuit of self-reliance and Andhra Pradesh's development. 'These will serve as powerful growth poles, resulting in massive employment generation. Local academic institutions, including engineering colleges and ITIs, will become integral parts of this initiative. Robust supply chains will be established and small-scale industries will flourish,' he said.
The total outlay for the AMCA programme is around ₹15,000 crore. The Core Integration & Flight Testing Centre of the Aeronautical Development Agency, a DRDO affiliate, is being set up at a cost of about ₹2,000 crore. 'Puttaparthi is set to join the exclusive league of global destinations from which a fifth-generation aircraft will take to the skies,' Mr. Singh said.
The Naval Systems Manufacturing Facility, a ₹480-crore project of Bharat Dynamics Ltd., will focus on autonomous underwater vehicles, underwater counter-measure systems, and next-generation torpedoes. The Defence Energetics Facility of Agneyastra Energetics Ltd., a Bharat Forge subsidiary, is coming up with an investment of ₹1,500 crore. The Ammunition and Electric Fuse Plant of HFCL Ltd. is being set up with around ₹1,200 crore.
On the proposed Drone City, the Defence Minister said drone technology had emerged as a game changer in modern warfare and other sectors. 'Just as Surat is known as the 'Diamond City' and Bengaluru as 'Silicon Valley', this region will soon be recognised as the 'Drone Hub' of the nation,' he said.
Mr. Singh said defence production had risen from ₹46,000 crore in 2014 to nearly ₹1.54 lakh crore now and was expected to touch ₹1.75 lakh crore soon. Defence exports had grown from ₹600 crore a decade ago to about ₹40,000 crore.
He also cautioned against misinformation. 'It isn't necessary that our adversaries attack us solely with weapons. They may attempt harm by spreading rumours. If the Prime Minister has advised us to utilise public transport or conserve fuel, it should be viewed in the spirit of advice,' he said.
Mr. Naidu said the projects would bolster defence preparedness and foster regional growth. He called the success of Operation Sindoor a proud example of India's growing strength and self-reliance. He urged industry to 'Design-in-Andhra Pradesh, Make-in-Andhra Pradesh, lead-from-Andhra Pradesh', assuring full State support.
'New Andhra Pradesh is being built with three strengths: Innovation, Infrastructure and Industrialisation. As India marches towards Viksit Bharat, Andhra Pradesh will lead from the front,' he said.
Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, State Ministers, Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar, senior Ministry of Defence officials, and industry representatives were present.
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