New Delhi [India], March 19 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that in order to maintain the country's defence preparedness and strategic autonomy, it is important for India to achieve complete self-reliance in drone manufacturing. Speaking at the National Defence Industries Conclave, he stated that the country needs the support of every stakeholder to accomplish this mission.

'For the sake of India's defense preparedness and strategic autonomy, it is imperative that the nation achieves complete self-reliance in drone manufacturing. The country needs the support of each and every one of you to accomplish this mission. You can be assured of every possible form of support from the government. We must all work together in a 'mission mode' so that, by 2030, India emerges as a global hub for indigenous drone manufacturing,' said Singh.

The Union Minister, while stressing the importance of drones in India's defence ecosystem, asserted that in light of the Russia-Ukraine and Iran-Israel conflicts, there is a significant role of drones and counter-drones in future warfare. Hence, he stated that there is an urgent need for India to establish a self-reliant drone manufacturing ecosystem to meet these evolving security challenges.

'Today, as the entire world witnesses the ongoing conflicts involving Russia and Ukraine, as well as Iran and Israel, it is abundantly clear that there is a clear role of drones and counter-drone technologies in future warfare. Consequently, there is an urgent need in India today to establish a drone manufacturing ecosystem in which we are completely self-reliant. This self-reliance is essential not merely at the product level, but, crucially, at the component level as well. This implies that everything, from drone molds to software, engines, and batteries, must be manufactured right here in India. This is no easy task, as in most countries where drones are manufactured, many critical components are currently imported from China,' said Singh.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the two-day National Defence Industries Conclave at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, on Thursday.

The National Defence Industries Conclave (NDIC) 2026, organised by the Department of Defence Production (DDP), is based on the theme of 'Advanced Manufacturing Technologies', and will be held from March 19 to 20, as per the official release.

The conclave aims to strengthen the integration of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to India's defence manufacturing ecosystem while promoting the adoption of advanced technologies such as automation, artificial intelligence, robotics, additive manufacturing, digital twins and smart materials. The initiative aligns with the Government's vision of Aatmanirbharta in defence, and seeks to enhance India's technological capability and global competitiveness in defence production.

The conclave aims to bring together MSMEs, start-ups, DPSUs, private defence companies, innovators, policymakers, academia and technology providers to facilitate policy dialogue, promote innovation, and expand participation in the defence supply chain. The event is also expected to encourage industries from non-defence sectors to explore opportunities in defence manufacturing while fostering industry-academia partnerships and collaborative research and development. (ANI)