New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday lauded Make-in-India for the Indian Army's success during Operation Sindoor. He also said that those residing in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) are India's own and one day, will surely return to the mainstream.

'Make-in-India is an essential component in our national security and it played a key role in India's effective action against terrorism during Operation Sindoor,' Rajnath Singh told industry captains, emphasising that through the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme Execution Model, the private sector will get an opportunity to participate in a mega defence project along with public sector companies for the first time, further bolstering indigenous defence capabilities.

He was addressing the Inaugural Plenary of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Annual Business Summit in New Delhi today.

According to an official statement from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Singh termed the Execution Model for the AMCA programme to build 5th generation fighter aircraft in India as a bold and decisive step, which will take the domestic aerospace sector to greater heights. 'Under the AMCA project, the plan is to develop five prototypes, which will be followed by series production. It is a key milepost in the history of the Make-in-India programme,' he said.

Highlighting the success of Make-in-India during Operation Sindoor, Rajnath Singh stated that the Indian Armed Forces would not have been able to take effective action against terrorism in Pakistan and PoK if the nation had not strengthened its indigenous defence capabilities.

The Defence Minister described Make-in-India as crucial for security and prosperity, stating that the use of indigenous systems during Operation Sindoor has proved that India has the power to penetrate any armour of the enemy. 'We destroyed the terrorist hideouts and then the military bases. We could have done a lot more, but we presented a great example of coordination of power and restraint,' he said.

Rajnath Singh asserted that India has redesigned and redefined its strategy & response against terrorism, and Pakistan has realised that running the business of terrorism is not cost-effective; rather, it may have to pay a heavy price. He added that India has recalibrated its engagement and scope of dialogue with Pakistan, and now talks will only be held on terrorism and PoK.

Rajnath again made it clear that PoK is a part of India, and the people who got geographically and politically separated will, sooner or later, voluntarily return to India. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government is committed to its resolve of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. Most of the people in PoK have a deep connection with India. There are only a few who have been misled,' he said.

The Defence Minister emphasised that the Government has given priority to policy clarity, indigenisation, economic resilience and strategic autonomy, and the success of these efforts can be ensured only when all the stakeholders, including innovators, entrepreneurs & manufacturers, become strong partners in this national mission.

'If securing company interests is your karma, safeguarding national interests is your dharma,' he said.

Sharing his views on the theme of the summit 'Building Trust & India First', Rajnath Singh stated that it is a matter of great pride that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has become the fourth largest economy. 'It is not just a matter of the economy growing in size; it is also about the world's ever-increasing trust in India and its trust in itself. Today, India is not just a consumer of defence technology, but has also become a producer and exporter. When the world approaches us for high-end defence systems, it is not just a market indication, it is a respect for our capability,' he said.

According to the official statement by MoD, the Defence Minister highlighted the important role being played by the defence sector in India's growth journey by enumerating the feats achieved due to the initiatives taken by the Government in the last decade.

'10-11 years ago, our defence production was approx. Rs 43,000 crore. Today, it has crossed the record figure of Rs 1,46,000 crore, with a contribution of over Rs 32,000 crore by the private sector. Our defence exports, which were around Rs 600-700 crore 10 years ago, have surpassed a record figure of Rs 24,000 crore today. Our weapons, systems, sub-systems, components, and services are reaching around 100 countries. Over 16,000 MSMEs associated with the defence sector have become the backbone of the supply chain. These companies are not only strengthening our self-reliance journey, but are also providing employment to lakhs of people,' Rajnath Singh said.

Singh added that today, India is not only producing fighter aircraft and missile systems, it is also getting ready for New Age Warfare Technology.

'We are continuously making headway even in frontier technologies. Our progress in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Defence, Unmanned Systems, and Space-Based Security is being recognised on the global stage. India has the potential to become a development hub for engineering, high precision manufacturing and future technologies,' he said.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, Vice Chief of the Army Staff Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani, CII President Sanjiv Puri and industry leaders were among those who attended the event. (ANI)