Power of Swadeshi
PM says striving to make India's defence sector self-sufficient
This story was originally published at 21:15 IST on 23 January 2026
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NEW DELHI – Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said his government is working to make India's defence sector self-sufficient and that the country's defence exports have already crossed INR 230 billion.
"Made-in-India BrahMos and other missiles are drawing the interest of several countries," Modi told a Parakram Diwas event in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands via video-conferencing. "We are modernising Indian defence forces through the power of swadeshi." Jan. 23, the birth anniversary of freedom fighter and Indian National Army founder Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, is observed as Parakram Diwas.
Modi said India in the 21st century is a strong, assertive country and Operation Sindoor was proof of it. Operation Sindoor was the codename of a military operation that the Indian Air Force launched against suspected terrorist bases in Pakistan in May. "You saw how we barged into and destroyed the house of those who inflicted wounds on us," Modi said.
The prime minister claimed that those who came to power after Independence had failed to preserve the "glorious" history of the Andamans where several freedom fighters suffered and died in the Cellular Jail. "The people in power then had a sense of insecurity," he said. "They wanted to give the credit for freedom to one family only." Even after 70 years of independence, various places on the islands continued to be named after British officers, he said. "We ended this historical injustice. As a result, Port Blair is today called Sri Vijaya Puram," Modi said. End
Reported by Asim Khan
Edited by Rajeev Pai
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