PM Modi to lay foundation stone for the Rs 400 crore UP Defence Industrial Corridor project

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the Rs 400 crore Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor project in Jhansi, a move intended at establishing strategic independence by the Central government.

On the final day of the three-day 'Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv' event, which is being organised by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the government of Uttar Pradesh, the Prime Minister will kick off the start of the crucial project. The event was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the Rs 400 crore Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor project in Jhansi, a move intended at establishing strategic independence by the Central government.

On the final day of the three-day 'Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv' event, which is being organised by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the government of Uttar Pradesh, the Prime Minister will kick off the start of the crucial project. The event was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday.

The government of India has planned to establish two Defence Industrial Corridors, one in Tamil Nadu and the other in Uttar Pradesh. Agra, Aligarh, Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Lucknow, and Kanpur are all part of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor. The state government has set aside roughly 1,034 hectares of land for the Jhansi Node of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor. In the Jhansi Node, Bharat Dynamics Ltd, a Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU), is constructing a plant to manufacture the propulsion system for Anti-Tank Guided Missiles.

It will cover an area of 183 acres in Jhansi. A total of Rs 400 crore would be invested in the facility. "The project is expected to provide direct employment to 150 people and indirect employment to nearly 500 people," mentions a Defence Ministry statement.

"The foundation stone of the project will be laid by the Prime Minister on November 19," it further said.

In addition, on Friday, the Prime Minister will dedicate and launch several new MoD initiatives in a grand ceremony in the precincts of Jhansi Fort, which also happens to be Rani Lakshmi Bai's birthday, the epitome of bravery and courage and a great National icon of Rashtra Raksha and India's Independence struggle.

In the recent two years, the Ministry of Defence has made many initiatives to promote 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' in the defence sector. These include, among other things, the creation of positive indigenisation lists, allocating 64% of capital procurement budget to domestic industry, promoting startups through the Innovations For Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, speeding up the capital acquisition process, and establishing Defense Industrial Corridors.

The Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Navy are all using platforms that were conceived and produced in India. On Friday, the Prime Minister will formally hand over three platforms to their respective Service Chiefs.

With contributions from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), DPSUs, the military industry, and startups, these platforms show the maturation of the Indian defence industrial ecosystem. The Chief of the Air Staff, Vivek Ram Chaudhari, will receive the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) designed and constructed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). HAL's Helicopter Division has a new addition: LCH. This twin-engine helicopter is designed specifically for battle.

The LCH includes modern technology and stealth features for effective combat tasks, including enemy air defence destruction, counter insurgency, search and rescue, anti-tank, and Counter Surface Force Operations, among others. The LCH is the world's only attack helicopter capable of landing and taking off with a large load of weapons and fuel at an altitude of 5,000 metres (16,400 feet). The Prime Minister will also present the Chief of Army Staff with drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) conceived and produced by Indian companies.

The Advanced EW suite will be installed on a variety of military ships, including destroyers and frigates, and will be a significant step in achieving 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat.' Defense Minister Ajay Bhatt, Raksha Rajya Mantri Ajay Bhatt, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and other dignitaries will attend the 'Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv' programme on Friday. The Ministry of Defence is formally dedicating a number of initiatives to the nation as part of the 'Rashtra Raksha Samparpan Parv' celebration. The 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahaotsav' celebrations include these activities.