Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the significant reforms in the defense sector over the past decade, which have enhanced the capabilities and self-reliance of the Indian armed forces. Speaking after his visit to the Kargil War Memorial in Drass, where he paid tribute to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the 1999 conflict, Modi highlighted the transformation from an arms importer to an emerging arms exporter.
“Due to reforms, our forces have become more capable and self-reliant. India was once counted as a country importing arms. Now India is making its mark as an exporter,” Modi stated. He noted that the armed forces have compiled a list of weapons and military equipment that will no longer be imported, with a significant portion of defense procurement now sourced from the Indian industry. Modi also announced that 25% of the defense research and development budget has been allocated to the private sector, with India’s defense production now exceeding ₹1.25 lakh crore.
Modi stressed the long-standing need for major reforms in the defense sector, a demand from the Army that had previously been neglected. “In the last 10 years, we have made reforms a top priority in the defense sector,” he said. He criticized those who mislead the youth and disregard the welfare of soldiers, particularly pointing to the implementation of the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme by his government.
“These are the same people who lied about OROP. It is our government that implemented it. More than ₹1.25 lakh crore was given to ex-servicemen,” Modi said. The OROP scheme, implemented in November 2015 with retroactive effect from July 2014, fulfilled a decades-old demand of defense pensioners. The Union Cabinet’s approval in December 2022 for the revision of pensions under OROP has made around 2.5 million defense pensioners eligible for arrears.
Prime Minister Modi’s speech underscored the government’s commitment to strengthening the armed forces through substantial reforms, enhancing India’s self-reliance in defense production, and addressing long-standing issues faced by ex-servicemen.