India headed for self-reliance in defence production, says PM Modi

India is becoming self-reliant in defence production and other fields as the government’s development projects promote technology and education, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai on Sunday. Modi, in a speech at Jawaharlal Stadium, paid his respects to paramilitary soldiers killed in a terrorist bomb attack in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, in 2019. “No Indian can forget this day. We pay homage to all the martyrs we lost in that attack,” he said. “We are proud of our security forces. India has today become Atmanirbhar in the defence sector,” he said after handing over the Arjun Main Battle Tank, which is indigenously developed at Avadi near Chennai, to the Indian Army. The tank will be used to protect India’s northern borders. “Chennai is auto hub currently–it will become a hub for tanks now,” said Modi, who inaugurated projects worth over Rs 4,000 crore in Chennai. Tamil Nadu’s defence corridor had got around Rs 8,100 crore in investments, said Modi, adding India believes in peace but will protect its sovereignty at all cost. Modi said the projects he inaugurated are symbols of innovation and indigenous development that will help Tamil Nadu’s development. He laid the foundation stone for the extension, renovation and modernisation of the Grand Anicut Canal System, calling the project “a living testimony of our glorious past”. The canal’s renovation would benefit 2.27 lakh acres of agricultural farms in the Cauvery Delta districts of Tamil Nadu, he said He said the Chennai Metro Rail project phase II—inaugurated Sunday–is a “true testimony” for the government’s Athmanirbar Mission. “The Chennai metro is growing rapidly. In this year’s (Union) budget, over Rs 63,000 crore has been set aside for a 119 km of Phase-II of the project. It is one of the largest project sanctioned to any cities in one single go.” The world is looking at India with “great enthusiasm and positivity” and the government will support all aspirations and innovations, said Modi.