Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor is a step in the right direction. It would make India a production hub of defence equipment
Harpal Singh
In recent years, the Indian government has taken significant steps towards achieving self-reliance in defence production. One such initiative is the Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor, launched by the Uttar Pradesh government in February 2018. The corridor is a significant push towards creating a conducive ecosystem for defence production and attracting investment in the sector.
The Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor is spread across six cities (districts) in the state, including include Agra, Aligarh, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Kanpur and Lucknow. The corridor has been designed to provide a range of facilities and support services to defence manufacturers, including land banks for setting up manufacturing units, testing facilities, and research and development centres. The government has also announced a range of incentives for companies investing in the defence corridor, including tax exemptions and subsidies.
The defence corridor has already seen the signing of several MoUs with leading defence manufacturers, including Lockheed Martin, Airbus, and Tata Advanced Systems. These companies have committed to investing in the state and creating job opportunities for the local population.
The Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor is a critical component of the government's “Make in India” initiative, which aims to boost domestic manufacturing and create job opportunities in the country. India is one of the largest importers of defence equipment in the world, and the government's focus on indigenous production is a step in the right direction towards reducing the country's dependence on imports. Aim plus is effectively moving from import substitution to export surplus i.e “make for the world”. The wars of 1962, 1965 as well as 1971 operations flag that the capability to respond to foreign aggression got stymied under foreign pressure and we were perforce made to either accept unfavourable terms as in the Tashkent accord or go for a diplomatic manoeuvre in 1971 by signing a ‘Friendship and cooperation accord' with the erstwhile USSR to keep the US 7th fleet from interfering with the operations in Bangladesh. Also, considering that India is surrounded by two nuclear-powered hostile neighbours and even in the maritime domain, Chinese efforts to dominate sea lanes in the Indian Ocean are shaping an environment where military preparedness is obligatory, India will have to build a strong Military Industrial Complex (MIC) if India wants to have strategic autonomy. The contribution of the UPDIC in this direction will be promising
The defence corridor is expected to generate employment opportunities for over 250,000 people and attract investments worth Rs 20,000 crore. The corridor is expected to create job opportunities across the manufacturing value chain, from component suppliers to assembly and testing facilities. The corridor is also expected to generate ancillary industries and support services.The Uttar Pradesh government has taken several steps to improve the state's infrastructure, which is critical to the success of the defence corridor. The government has announced plans to build new airports, highways, and railway lines to support the manufacturing ecosystem. The state government has also announced plans to set up a dedicated defence industrial park in the state, which will provide a range of support services to defence manufacturers.
The Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor is a significant step towards India's self-reliance in defence production. The government's focus on indigenous production is critical to ensuring the country's long-term security and reducing its dependence on imports. The defence corridor is expected to strengthen India's defence manufacturing ecosystem.
The defence corridor is also significant from a geopolitical perspective. India's defence imports have been a concern for its strategic partners, including the United States. The defence corridor is expected to reduce India's dependence on imports and provide a platform for strategic partnerships with other countries, as also to get some of the critical technologies transferred under offset clauses with various deals already concluded but clauses not yet fructified.
The Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor is a prime example of the government's efforts to boost the manufacturing sector in the country. The defence corridor is expected to create a conducive ecosystem for defence production and attract investment in the sector. The government's focus on indigenous production is critical to ensuring the country's long-term security and reducing its dependence on imports. The Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor is a step in the right direction towards achieving these objectives.
The defence corridor is also expected to have a positive impact on the state's economy. Uttar Pradesh is one of the largest states in India, with a population of over 200 million people. The corridor is expected to generate employment opportunities for the local population and boost the state's economy. The defence corridor is expected to create a conducive ecosystem for defence production and attract major investment in the sector. The defence corridor is a step in the right direction towards achieving these objectives and strengthening India's defence manufacturing ecosystem.
(The writer is a former Engineer-in-Chief, of Indian Army)
