Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) [India], August 27 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday inaugurated a T-72 and T-90 tank overhaul facility at the Vehicle Factory in Jabalpur, describing it as a major step towards strengthening India's defence manufacturing capabilities and self-reliance.
On the occasion, the Defence Minister said that the day marked a new milestone in strengthening India's industrial self-reliance. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Minister Rakesh Singh were also present.

Highlighting Madhya Pradesh's role in the field of defence production, Rajnath Singh said, "The defence manufacturing potential across 3,073 hectares of land in the Gwalior-Chambal region, along with proposed investments of over Rs 16,960 crore, reflects the state's ambitious vision in this direction. These efforts are laying a strong foundation for making Madhya Pradesh India's next major Defence and Aerospace Manufacturing Hub."

He added, "I am especially pleased that this Rs 472-crore project will also create opportunities for our local talent and technical workforce. Our youth do not lack skills; what they need is opportunity, technology, and the right ecosystem. This project will prove to be a boon for our soldiers, who use these tanks to destroy the enemy."
Emphasising Jabalpur's identity as a major centre for defence manufacturing and military institutions, the Defence Minister said that efforts were now being made to take that identity to a new level. "Our aim is to make Jabalpur a major hub for defence technology, maintenance, modernisation, and manufacturing," he said.
Highlighting efforts toward Atmanirbhar Bharat, Rajnath Singh said, "India's defence sector is now moving toward self-reliance. In 2014, our domestic defence production was only Rs 46,000 crore, meaning that we were able to manufacture weapons and equipment worth only Rs 46,000 crore in India. Today, that figure has risen to a record of more than Rs 1.77 lakh crore."
Concluding his remarks, the Defence Minister said, "Jabalpur also has an important role in this changing India. The factories here, the engineers, technicians, skilled workers, and the youth are all important stakeholders in this transformation. The world is now looking at India as a manufacturing power, a technology partner, and a trusted defence partner."