PM Modi to present Armed Forces with indigenously built defence equipment

In a major push towards the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ programme in the defence sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officially hand over indigenously developed and designed defence equipment to the three chiefs of the armed forces in Jhansi on November 19. At the ceremony, the prime minister will formally present light combat aircraft designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to the Air Force chief, drones and unmanned aerial vehicles designed and developed by Indian startups to the Army chief, and the DRDO-designed and Bharat Electronics Limited-manufactured advanced electronic warfare suite for naval ships to the Navy chief.

According to the statement, the LCH combines advanced technology and stealth features for effective combat roles, adding that India’s growing drone industry ecosystem is also a proof of the LCH’s maturation. Various naval ships, including destroyers and frigates, will use the advanced EW suite.

The foundation stone for a Rs 400-crore project will also be laid by Modi at the Jhansi node of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor. Bharat Dynamics Ltd is setting up a plant to produce anti-tank guided missile propulsion systems. NCC alumni will be able to connect with the organization through the NCC Alumni Association, which he will establish. By joining the association, NCC will be able to further its aims and help build the nation.

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‘It will witness enrolling the prime minister, a former NCC cadet, as the first member of the association,’ the statement said. With the aim of scaling up these facilities to NCC’s three wings, he will launch a national program of simulation training. Additionally, he will dedicate to the nation augmented reality kiosks at the National War Memorial, which will enable visitors to pay floral tribute to martyrs by simply pushing a button.