Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today called for government and industry to come together to make India a defence manufacturing hub.
Addressing a curtain-raising press conference on Defence Expo in Chennai, Ms Sitharaman said, the government can be an effective catalyst for the private and public sector in defence.
She said, the Expo, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow, is being held at Thiruvadanai near Chennai.
The Defence Minister said, the Defence Corridor, planned by the Centre in Tamil Nadu, will give the government greater leverage to focus on defence industries in the region.
She said this year’s Expo will highlight India as a manufacturer of defence products and country’s export potential.
Replying to a query on use indigenous equipment by the Armed Forces, Ms Sitharaman said, the Defence Ministry has to take care of Indian Armed Forces as well as India’s defence production.
