From seas to skies, India is becoming increasingly self-reliant in defence sector: PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his radio address Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, highlighted several big achievements in the defence sector, saying “from the seas to the skies, our India is becoming increasingly secure and self-reliant.

"In his monthly address, the PM cited the maiden flight of the made-in-India C-295 aircraft and the successful test of the indigenous Long-Range Land-Attack Cruise Missile.Stressing that the C-295 military transport aircraft has been made in India, he said, “As many as 40 such aircraft are being built right here in India and this is giving new strength to MSMEs and the aerospace sector." It will also increase employment opportunities, he said.The first made-in-India C-295 military transport aircraft successfully completed its maiden flight on June 10 as the IAF is procuring 56 C-295 transport aircraft at a cost of around Rs 21,935 crore. Forty of these military aircraft will be assembled by Tata Advanced Systems Limited in cooperation with Airbus at a production facility in Vadodara.Talking about the commissioning of the new indigenously-developed warships in the Indian Navy recently, Modi said, “Recently, I got the opportunity to participate in a Navy-related programme in Kolkata.

There, INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak and INS Agrya were inducted into the Indian Navy's fleet. From the design to manufacturing of these ships, everything is indigenous.”The PM said in June, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) also successfully tested an indigenous Long-Range Land-Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM). The LRLACM is an advanced indigenous, terrain-hugging subsonic cruise missile developed by the DRDO with an operational range of 1,000 km to 1,500 km. Designed as a deep-strike successor to the Nirbhay platform, it flies at low altitudes to avoid enemy radar.

All subsystems of the missile have been developed by various DRDO laboratories and industry partners.