Rajnath Singh Inaugurates Private Defence Manufacturing Complex In Shirdi, Flags Off India’s First 300-Km Rocket System
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday inaugurated a private sector defence manufacturing complex in Shirdi and flagged off India’s first 300-km Universal Rocket Launching System ‘Suryastra’, asserting that a nation capable of manufacturing its own weaponry “writes its own destiny”. The facility, developed by NIBE Limited, will focus on advanced artillery systems, missile and space technologies, rocket systems, energetic materials, and autonomous defence platforms. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also present at the event.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Rajnath Singh stressed that future wars would be determined more by advancements in munitions and automation than by the size of armed forces. Referring to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, tensions in West Asia, and India’s Operation Sindoor, he said modern warfare increasingly depends on cutting-edge indigenous capabilities. He emphasised that self-reliance in defence production was essential not only for national security but also for economic resilience and development. The Defence Minister added that the government was committed to transforming India into a global hub for munitions and automated systems through initiatives such as Make-in-India, Positive Indigenisation Lists, iDEX, ADITI, and the Technology Development Fund.
The event also witnessed the foundation stone laying for a missile complex linked to the Suryastra system, along with the unveiling of indigenous TNT Plant Technology, RDX Plant Technology, and a Renewable Bio-Energy Compressed Biogas Plant. An MoU was exchanged between NIBE Group and BlackSky for cooperation in satellite assembly. Rajnath Singh said the private sector’s contribution to defence production had risen to nearly 25-30 per cent and the government aims to increase it to 50 per cent in the coming years.
The Defence Minister said the new complex would strengthen India’s defence ecosystem by creating opportunities for MSMEs, ancillary industries, suppliers, and vendors, while generating employment and boosting technological skill development among the youth. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hailed the Centre’s push for Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence and said India’s growing indigenous capabilities were enhancing both national security and global peace efforts. Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan, DRDO Chairman Samir V. Kamat, and senior defence and industry officials also attended the programme.
