New Delhi, July 12
India has emerged as one of the most powerful countries globally and its strong defence system is backed by a strong government, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur said during an interaction with ITBP personnel at Karzok village of Ladakh, some 211 km from Leh, on Wednesday.
The minister was on a two-day visit to Ladakh under the Centre’s Vibrant Village Programme to strengthen border villages. Speaking on defence equipment manufacturing, Thakur said the country was transitioning from reliance on imports to self reliance and more than 400 items in defence sector were now being built indigenously.
Exports up
Last year saw manufacturing of defence equipment worth Rs 1 lakh crore and exports worth Rs 16,000 crore. —Anurag Thakur, Union minister for information & broadcasting
“The previous year saw manufacturing of defence equipment worth Rs 1 lakh crore and exports worth Rs 16,000 crore,” he said, adding that the Centre was working hard to strengthen all the three wings of the defence system.
At a public gathering in Karzok, Thakur said the people of Ladakh need not worry about external influences (a reference to China’s PLA) as the government was taking appropriate measures to safeguard the borders. On the second day of his visit, the minister toured the Chumur area where he interacted with residents as well as ITBP and Army men. Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal accompanied him.
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