Large Participation of Countries at DefExpo 2020 reflects India’s Growing Stature : Rajnath

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on February 4, 2020, said that the huge participation of foreign countries and exhibitors at the DefExpo 2020, to be held at Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow from February 5-9, 2020, reflects India’s growing stature at the international arena where the world listens to it and powerful nations take pride in marching in step with New Delhi.

Rajnath was addressing mediapersons at the Curtain Raiser event on the eve of the DefExpoin Lucknow. He said the participation in such a large number is not merely a business endeavour, and that is the reason why every new edition of DefExpo breaks all its previous records.

The Defence Minister revealed that over a thousand companies from across the world are participating in the 11^thedition of the biennial mega defence exhibition making it the biggest ever DefExpo to be held in India. He said that in magnitude and endeavour, the exhibition is unparalleled in recent times and will present a golden opportunity for interaction and brainstorming to innovators, manufacturers, market leaders, government and other stakeholders, according to a PIB release.

Highlighting the special features of the DefExpo 2020, Rajnath indicated that ‘India-Africa Defence Ministers Conclave’ will be organised for the first time in which more than 30 African countries will participate. He also informed that Ministers from over 40 countries will take part in this edition of DefExpo making it an important opportunity for countries to further strengthen defence ties with India.

Emphasising that the aim of DefExpo is to make the nation stronger and prosperous, Rajnath said that the stature of India is growing because of the dynamic leadership and vision of PM Narendra Modi and the country now aspires to be the Economic Superpower in the world. He said the Government is working on making the country a Defence Manufacturing hub and has made sincere efforts in promoting indigenous manufacturing in the defence sector through initiatives like ‘Make in India’.

Stressing that a large country like India cannot depend on imported arms and aspire to become a global superpower, Rajnath said that the Government’s aim is to develop a vibrant and world class domestic defence industry so that dependence on imports is reduced and India becomes self-reliant in defence production.

He underlined that the DefExpo will give an opportunity to explore the capabilities of indigenous defence industry in partnership with prominent countries like US, Russia and South Korea etc, and will lead to strengthening the ties and promoting shared prosperity.

Rajnath reiterated the Government’s commitment to make India an economy of 5 trillion dollars and said that the mega event is part of that vision. He said that in spite of the global slowdown in the past few years, India has remained one of the top economically growing countries, adding that the country became the world’s sixth largest economy. He said that the aim now is to be in the league of top three economies of the world by the end of this decade.