Highlighting the interconnectedness of economy and security, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pointed out that economic prosperity is possible only when full attention is paid to security, and the security system will be robust only when the economy is strong. Both complement each other, he observed and added that as India becomes a developed nation by 2047, the country's armed forces will be one of the most modern and strongest militaries in the world.
Addressing the officers at the Army War College (AWC) in Mhow of Madhya Pradesh on Monday, Singh reiterated that unconventional methods like information warfare, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based warfare, proxy warfare, electro-magnetic warfare, space warfare and cyber attacks are posing a big challenge today.
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The defence minister said in today’s constantly evolving times, mastering frontier technologies is the need of the hour, and added that military training centres play a major role in equipping and readying India's soldiers to deal with future challenges.
Singh reasserted that the government is resolved to strengthen integration and jointness among the three services, and said he is confident that in the future, the armed forces will be able to face challenges together in a better and more efficient way.
Hailing the efforts to make India self-reliant in defence, the minister said, “India is constantly moving on the path of development and is rapidly emerging as a manufacturing hub. From a military point of view, we are getting equipped with modern weapons. We are also exporting Made-in-India equipment to other countries. Our defence exports, which were around Rs 2,000 crore a decade ago, crossed the record figure of Rs 21,000 crore today. We have set an export target of Rs 50,000 crore by 2029.”
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Commending the armed forces for securing the borders and being the first responders during natural disasters, the defence minister said, “This dedication to protect the nation and this spirit to keep ourselves updated in a constantly-changing world can take us ahead of others.”
