India has achieved 88 per cent self-sufficiency in ammunition production, and the defence exports of the country reached nearly ₹23,000 crore in 2023-24, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday. Addressing the 16th foundation day of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, the defence minister said the government's goal is to reach ₹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029.
Had a delightful interaction with the students of IIT Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) on their 16th Foundation Day. Underlined the importance of fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation that would allow India to lead in new technologies like Artificial Intelligence,… pic.twitter.com/XWPE9jMbRi
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) February 24, 2025
He hailed the government's commitment to creating a robust defence industry in India and called on IIT Mandi’s students to contribute to this vision by focusing on technological solutions that can enhance India’s defence capabilities and further advance the nation’s self-reliance in the defence sector.
Singh advised them to follow the principles of Initiate, Improve, and Transform (IIT) and highlighted the importance of working collectively to address national challenges with technology and innovation.
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Urging the students to be disruptors and not just adapters in the fast-paced world of technology, he said, “The biggest challenge today is to adapt to the rapidly changing technology, but also to create new technologies. Don’t just be adapters; become the disruptors who lead innovation.”
“India’s technological sector is on the rise and is expected to reach 300-350 US billion dollars in the next five years. With more than 1.25 lakh start-ups and 110 unicorns, our country is emerging as the third-largest start-up ecosystem in the world,” the defence minister noted.
Further, the defence minister urged IIT Mandi to play a more significant role in defence-related technologies.
Lauding the institute for its existing collaboration with DRDO, he called for further contributions in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI)-driven warfare, indigenous AI chip development, cybersecurity, and quantum technology.
