India aims to be defence manufacturer, not buyer: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said India does not want to remain merely a buyer in the defence sector as the country seeks to become a major manufacturer and one of the decisive players on the global stage.

Speaking after commissioning three indigenously built naval ships-- INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak-- at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata, Modi said strong maritime capabilities are the deciding factor for a country’s economic and strategic influence, and India understands this well and is preparing for it.

Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, these naval ships represent key operational capabilities across maritime combat, hydrographic surveying, and anti-submarine warfare.

“The strength of the nation’s defence sector cannot be measured by its dependence on global markets but by its ability to become self-reliant. India seeks to become a producer and a manufacturer, because nations that manufacture become decisive players on the global stage,” the Prime Minister pointed out, informing that more than 40 indigenously built warships and submarines had been inducted into the Indian Navy over the past few years.

Nearly every few weeks the Navy has received a new capability, while 45 major naval platforms are currently under construction. “These figures are not merely statistics but indicators of India’s industrial capacity and future potential,” Modi said.

Recalling the commissioning of INS Vikrant, he said that it had marked the beginning of a new chapter in India’s maritime journey and announced India’s growing naval strength to the world. The journey from INS Vikrant to the commissioning of INS Agray, INS Dunagiri and INS Sanshodhak is not merely a story of new warships but also a reflection of India’s increasing self-reliance, he said.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister led the nation in observing the 12th International Day of Yoga from Kolkata’s iconic Red Road, where around 35,000 people joined him in performing the morning exercises. “June 21, in some parts of the Earth, marks the longest day, and because of International Yoga Day, this day has also become the day of the world’s largest collective celebration,” Modi said.

The theme for this year’s celebration, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing,” highlighted the role of yoga in enhancing physical health, mental well-being, emotional resilience and active ageing, thereby improving overall quality of life.

“Yoga is not just a physical exercise, not restricted to any age group; it is an expression of the human spirit. Our target should be more flexible at 40 than we were at 20, and to be more energetic at 50 than we were at 30,” Modi said, expressing happiness at having the opportunity to visit the historic land of Bengal, which has played a pivotal role in shaping India’s intellectual, cultural and national renaissance.

“Let us pledge not to limit yoga to just one day or a single event; let us make yoga an integral part of our lives,” he added.

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