Gujarat CM at Defence Offsets Conf at 6th Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit
“Need for holistic defence policy to make India self-reliant”
“Gujarat keen to promote entrepreneurs for defence production”
Ahmedabad, Thursday: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today called for framing a holistic policy to make India self-reliant in defence production for the security forces alongside training skilled human resources. In fact, he said, India is capable of fulfilling the defence needs of smaller and developing nations, too.
Delivering the valedictory address at an International Conference on ‘Defence Offsets’ organized as part of 6th Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit (VGGIS) here, he said that India spends a huge amount of foreign exchange in importing arms which required to be curtailed. Research in developing and manufacturing latest sophisticated defence equipment is the crying need of the day.
While seminars are being held on as many as 123 topics at VGGIS this year, he said he deemed it fit to devote a full day’s brain storming session dedicated to country’s defence needs.
Mr. Modi invited entrepreneurs with engineering background to set up their defence equipment units in Gujarat. He said the state has already large manufacturing base of small and medium scale units which could be gainfully deployed in defence production in cluster form as well.
Prominent among those present at the conference were FICCI Chairman Ashok Kanodia, FICCI Defence Sub-Committee Chairman Jayant Patil and delegates.
Earlier, FICCI Defence Committee Co-Chairman Rahul Choudhry welcomed the guests and FICCI Director General Arbind Prasad proposed a vote of thanks.
The conference concluded with the Chief Minister’s interactive session with chief executives.
