Gujarat can emerge as major defence manufacturing hub, says Rajnath Singh

Rajnath, in his address, said, “Some people may wonder what connection a defence minister has with Vibrant Gujarat… The security of any state and its economy are deeply interconnected. A strong economy creates the foundation for strong defence capabilities, while a secure nation provides an enabling environment for development, innovation and industry to flourish.”

Calling defence manufacturing a force multiplier for the wider economy, Singh said the sector was “not limited merely to weapons manufacturing” but also acted as a catalyst for infrastructure development, logistics, industrial expansion and employment generation. The Defence Minister made a strong pitch for Gujarat’s role in this transformation, declaring that the state already possesses “the complete ecosystem required to become a defence manufacturing hub.”

“Gujarat possesses a strong industrial foundation, a skilled workforce, and an entrepreneurial mindset that can play a crucial role in India’s journey towards self-reliance. From advanced manufacturing to cutting-edge research, the state has the potential to become a major hub for defence production and technology,” Singh said.

He pointed to Vadodara’s emergence as the location of India’s first private-sector military aircraft manufacturing facility under the Tata-Airbus C-295 programme, describing it as “a historic milestone in India’s aerospace journey.”

Singh also highlighted the manufacture of the K-9 Vajra self-propelled artillery system in Gujarat, stating the platform had “significantly enhanced the combat capabilities of the Indian armed forces”. Looking beyond conventional manufacturing, the Defence Minister identified semiconductors as the defining strategic technology of the coming decades.

“Future warfare and economy will run on chips,” he said, expressing confidence that semiconductor projects coming up in Dholera and Sanand would become the foundation of India’s technological sovereignty.

According to Singh, Gujarat’s industrial strengths mapped directly to the needs of India’s defence sector. The state’s chemical and petrochemical industries could support advanced materials, composites and propellants, while its electronics ecosystem could contribute to avionics, sensors and communication systems.

Singh emphasised that Gujarat has ports and shipbuilding capabilities that could strengthen naval systems and maritime security, even as renewable energy and green hydrogen sectors could open new pathways for the next generation of defence technologies.

Recalling India’s dependence on foreign suppliers a decade ago, Singh said the country’s defence sector had undergone “unprecedented reforms” over the last ten years. “India was once heavily dependent on imports to meet its defence requirements, but, today, India is rapidly emerging as a major force in defence manufacturing and exports,” he said.

The minister said that domestic defence production rose from Rs 46,000 crore in 2014 to around Rs 1.78 lakh crore, while defence exports rose from roughly Rs 1,000 crore to nearly Rs 39,000 crore over the same period. Singh emphasised that India’s self-reliance strategy was not “inward-looking protectionism” but “confidence to stand firmly on its own feet and engage with the world as an equal partner.”

Calling on industry to participate in the transformation, the Defence Minister urged stakeholders to “transform regional strengths into national capabilities, local innovation into global competitiveness and industrial growth into strategic strength.”