Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) are being equipped with indigenous state-of-the-art ships and weapons to protect the maritime borders of the country.
He also lauded the defence shipyards for strengthening the country's economy. "During 2021-22, the value of production of these shipyards was Rs 8,925 crore and profit after tax was Rs 928 crore. Presently, the order book position of these shipyards is Rs 81,777 crore," he said.
Singh also appreciated the fact that procurement through Government e Marketplace (GeM) is increasing in the shipyards, which has not only provided a boost to domestic products, but has ensured transparency in procurement.
The shipyards have been asked to increase procurement through GeM and a target has been to make 25 per cent of the total procurement from MSMEs, he added. The Defence Minster said this in a meeting of Consultative Committee for Ministry of Defence on 'Defence Shipyards' attended by a number of MPs.
"The shipyards have, so far, been able to successfully indigenise 73 items from the list of total 783 items. Indigenisation efforts for the remaining items are in progress in collaboration with industry partners," Singh said.
The Defence Minister exuded confidence that soon the shipyards will not only meet the domestic requirements, but also earn export orders on a competitive basis. He hoped that these shipyards will continue to adapt themselves to the changing environment and achieve the desired results.
Friendly countries have appreciated the quality of the platforms manufactured by these shipyards, he added. The Defence Minister asserted that all efforts are being done to strengthen Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guards as ensuring national security is the government's top priority.
Commending the defence shipyards for playing a crucial role in this direction, the Minister stated that they have ensured timely delivery and quality of products, which is pivotal for building a strong military, and are striving to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'.
He also listed out a number of initiatives taken by the government to encourage indigenous manufacturing of weapons and products.