India's arms imports reduced significantly in last 4-5 years: J&K LG

Jammu: With India's arms imports reducing significantly in the last four to five years and defence exports reaching an all-time high in the last financial year, it shows the Union government's commitment to innovation and Indigenous technology development, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said.

Sinha made the remarks while attending the North-Tech Symposium-2023 held on the Jagti Campus of IIT on the outskirts of Jammu. He attended the event along with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan.

The Lt Governor congratulated the Northern Command, Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) and IIT Jammu for jointly hosting hundreds of industries and defence tech startups.

"It is a proud moment for the academia as for the first time since its inception North-Tech Symposium, defence expo is being held in IIT Jammu," the Lt Governor said.

He said that the three-day event will showcase cutting-edge technological advancements of the Indian Army and forge a synergy between the army, industry, and academia in research, development, and innovation in defence technologies.

Sinha also highlighted India's emergence as a defence exporter and its self-reliance in defence production.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has witnessed a major push for Aatmanirbharta in defence. We are a responsible space power and have shown our strategic strength," the Lt Governor said.

The launch of INS Vikrant last year vindicated the country's resolve to develop indigenous capabilities, he said.

"Our arms imports have reduced significantly in the last 4-5 years and defence exports reached an all-time high in the last financial year. It shows our commitment to innovation and Indigenous technology development," he said.

Sinha said that the Centre has set the target of achieving 70 per cent self-reliance in weaponry by 2027, which is providing unlimited opportunities for private industries, MSMEs, and tech startups to build.