We believe in capabilities of India in defence sector, previous govts were sceptical: Rajnath

New Delhi: Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the Narendra Modi-led government "believes in the capabilities of India and Indians" in the defence sector, while the previous dispensations were in some way "sceptical" about their capabilities.

In his address at an event here, the defence minister also said that if any criticism comes from the media on any government scheme, "We accept it and try to bring a change accordingly".

Delivering an address at the NDTV Defence Summit here, Singh said when the government led by Modi came to power in 2014, "We made the defence sector one of our main priorities".

"We took a step towards 'atmanirbharta' (self-reliance) in defence. From establishing the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) to the creation of the post of CDS (Chief of Defence Staff), issuing of positive indigenisation lists for manufacturing of weapons in India...they naturally strengthen it (defence sector)," he said.

The DMA with CDS as secretary was created to facilitate optimal utilisation of resources and promote jointness among the three Services, the defence ministry said in February 2020.

"Our efforts to promote self-reliance in defence, military modernisation and the efforts to strengthen India's defence sector... I will try to contextualise the ideological commitment of our government," Singh said.

The defence minister said after coming to power when "we say that we focus" on military modernisation and self-reliance in the defence sector, "my intention certainly not is to say that previous governments did not give attention to make the defence sector strong".

He did not take any names in his speech delivered to an audience consisting of officials of the armed forces, various industry leaders and others.

"Previous governments also focussed in their own way and made efforts to strengthen the defence sector. But there is a big difference between them and us," the defence minister asserted.

And, that difference is of "perspective, way of thinking ('nazariya')," he added.

"Our vision for the defence sector is to believe in the capabilities of India. Old governments' way of thinking ('nazariya'), was in some way sceptical. Perhaps they did not believe in the capabilities of India as much as our government believes in the capabilities of India and Indians," Singh said.

In his address, he also stressed that "our government" believes in the Indian industry, and Indian youth, and has faith in Indian corporate firms and DPSUs working in consonance with the over-arching vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' towards achieving self-reliance in the defence sector in India.

"If our youth takes one step, the government will take 100 steps, and if they take 100 steps, we will come forward with 1,000 steps and that is our resolve," he said.

"And, when we say, we believe in our youth, I say it with great responsibility and not just casually," the defence minister said.