UP Emerging as India’s Defence Manufacturing Hub, Says CM Yogi Adityanath at Prayagraj Symposium
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said that India must become self-reliant in defence manufacturing, especially in view of changing global circumstances and growing geopolitical tensions across the world.
Addressing the concluding session of the three-day North Tech Symposium held at the Cobra Auditorium in the New Cantonment area of Prayagraj, the Chief Minister highlighted the rapid growth of Uttar Pradesh in the defence and aerospace sector and said the state is playing a major role in strengthening India’s defence capabilities.
Speaking before industry representatives, defence experts, and investors, Yogi Adityanath said that recent global conflicts and war-like situations have made it clear that countries can no longer depend entirely on foreign nations for defence equipment and military technology.
He said Uttar Pradesh is moving rapidly towards becoming a key centre for defence production in the country through the development of six major defence corridor nodes located in Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Agra, Aligarh, and Chitrakoot.
According to the Chief Minister, these defence corridor projects have so far attracted investment proposals worth nearly Rs 35,000 crore.
He said Aligarh has emerged as a major manufacturing centre for small arms and defence equipment, while Kanpur is rapidly developing into a hub for ammunition, missile systems, defence textiles, and protective gear.
The Chief Minister further stated that the defence nodes in Lucknow and Jhansi are focusing on the production of BrahMos missiles and heavy defence equipment.
Meanwhile, the nodes in Chitrakoot and Agra are being developed for aerospace manufacturing and precision engineering.
Highlighting India’s growing strength in the defence sector, Yogi Adityanath said that there was a time when the country’s defence exports were limited to around Rs 600 crore.
Today, he said, India’s defence exports have increased significantly and reached nearly Rs 50,000 crore.
The Chief Minister also appealed to defence and aerospace investors attending the symposium to invest in Uttar Pradesh, assuring them of full support from the state government.
He said the government has created a large land bank under its Defence and Aerospace Policy to facilitate industrial investment and expansion.
Emphasising the state’s infrastructure growth, Yogi Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh now offers strong connectivity through expressways, highways, metro networks, and improved air transport facilities, making it easier for industries to establish manufacturing units.
He also asserted that investors no longer need to worry about law and order in the state, claiming that the government has created a secure and business-friendly environment for industrial growth and investment.
