Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday, 30 June said that a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape had made India's self-reliance, technological capability and national security indispensable to shaping the country's future standing on the world stage. He was speaking at the valedictory session of the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) in Vadodara.

The Core Argument

Singh framed India's Viksit Bharat 2047 ambition — the national goal of achieving developed-nation status by the centenary of Independence — as something far more layered than an economic target. 'I believe this is not merely a goal of economic development, but a resolve to build an India that is economically prosperous, technologically fully capable and socially fully empowered,' he said.

Drawing on what he described as a historical pattern, Singh argued that every major power rested on three interlocking pillars: economic strength, technological capability and national security. 'Where there is progress in economics, prosperity and technology, that country, that state, will be strong from the perspective of security. And where national security is strong, industry and innovation can function properly and flourish,' he said.

Defence as an Economic Engine

Singh pushed back against a narrow reading of defence as a purely military domain, insisting it underpins a wider economic ecosystem. 'The development of the defence sector is not limited merely to manufacturing weapons. It drives a much broader economic ecosystem. The creation of defence corridors generates new opportunities in infrastructure, logistics, industry and employment,' he said.

He highlighted government-backed programmes — Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India, the Defence Acquisition Procedure and the Technology Development Fund — as the primary vehicles for building indigenous capability. Reforms including the Srijan Portal, iDEX, Defence Testing Infrastructure, Green Channel Certification and Self-Certification had, according to Singh, widened the door for MSMEs and start-ups in defence manufacturing.

Self-Reliance Without Isolation

Singh was careful to distinguish India's self-reliance drive from economic nationalism or protectionism. 'For us, Atmanirbhar Bharat means an India that is full of self-confidence, stands firmly on its own feet and works with the world as an equal partner,' he said. India, he added, actively welcomes collaboration with foreign original equipment manufacturers, technology transfers and joint ventures — provided that capabilities and economic benefits are anchored on Indian soil.

Emerging Technologies and Strategic Sovereignty

Looking ahead, Singh identified semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cybersecurity and space technology as sectors that would grow in strategic and economic importance simultaneously. He pointed specifically to emerging ecosystems in Sanand and Dholera in Gujarat as contributors to India's technological sovereignty.

Singh closed by urging industry stakeholders to convert regional industrial strengths into national capabilities and local innovation into global competitiveness — aligning both with India's long-term strategic objectives. The remarks come as India accelerates domestic defence production and deepens technology partnerships ahead of a target to raise defence exports to ₹50,000 crore by 2028-29.