Leh, Dec 7 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced on Sunday that India’s domestic defence production has surged from Rs 46,000 crore in 2014 to a record Rs 1.51 lakh crore, transforming the nation from an import-dependent entity into a major producer and exporter with defence exports nearing Rs 24,000 crore.
Speaking after dedicating 125 BRO infrastructure projects worth Rs 5,000 crore—including 28 roads, 93 bridges, and four other works across Ladakh, J&K, and seven states like Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal, and Mizoram—Singh credited a decade of sustained efforts for this paradigm shift in self-reliance.
He praised BRO’s technological innovations, particularly the indigenous Class-70 modular bridges developed with Garden Reach Shipbuilders under Atmanirbhar Bharat, calling them a milestone in border area engineering. Singh noted BRO’s record Rs 16,690 crore expenditure in FY 2024-25, with a Rs 18,700 crore target for FY 2025-26, and highlighted 356 projects dedicated in the last two years amid challenging terrains.
The government’s increased BRO budget to Rs 7,146 crore in Union Budget 2025-26 underscores its pivotal role in national security and development.
