The prime minister announced today that 41 Ordnance factories would be converted into seven government-controlled corporations to improve Indian self-reliance and defence readiness. When he launched the 7 new defence firms, he said, "Our target is to make India into the world's biggest military power”.

"For the first time since Independence, many major reforms were rolled out in India's defence sector and it has more transparency and trust than ever before," PM Modi said during the launch.

In dedicating seven state-run defence firms in place of the over 200-year-old Ordnance Factory Board, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India is progressing toward becoming a major producer of defence equipment rather than relying on stagnant policies.

"Under the self-reliant India campaign, the country's goal is to make India the world's biggest military power on its own and development of modern military industry in India," PM Modi said.

"In the last seven years, the country has worked to carry forward this resolve with the mantra of 'Make in India'," he added.

In his address at the event, PM Modi said that as India enters 75 years of Independence, projects are being completed that were stuck for a long time. "Today, there is more transparency, trust, and technology driven approach in the defence sector of the country than ever before. For the first time after Independence, so many major reforms are happening in our defence sector. Instead of stagnant policies, a single-window system has been put in place," PM Modi said.

According to him, there was a need to upgrade ordnance factories, adopt new technology after Independence, but it didn't get much attention. In order to improve our need for self-reliance and defend ourselves, we are converting 41 Ordnance factories into seven corporate entities nationwide, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. India is taking new resolutions to build a new future, he added.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and representatives from the defence industry associations were present on the occasion. In order to improve self-reliance in the country's defense preparation, the government decided to replace the over 200-year-old Ordnance Factory Board with seven fully functional entities.

The seven new defence companies that have been incorporated are Munitions India Limited (MIL), Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVANI), Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWE India), Troop Comforts Limited (TCL), Yantra India Limited (YIL), India Optel Limited (IOL) and Gliders India Limited (GIL), the PM's Office said.

Image source- NDTV