Narendra Modi at DefExpo 2018: Commitment to peace as strong as commitment to territory, says PM

READ | Narendra Modi at DefExpo 2018 LIVE Updates

Modi, who took a chopper to the venue instead of travelling by road to avoid the protests over the Cauvery water board issue, also raked up the scrapped Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal. Trying to deflate the Congress’ charge that the fresh government-to-government deal for 36 Rafale jets was a scam-in-the-making, Modi said he did not want to spend 10 years in discussions without any tangible outcome.

READ | Tamil Nadu to emerge as major defence hub: Nirmala Sitharaman

The PM also said that while in May 2014 the total number of defence export permission granted stood at 118 for $577 million, in less than four years, 794 more export permissions were issued for a total value of $1.3 billion. “There was a time when critical issue of defence preparedness was hampered by policy paralysis. We have seen the damage of such laziness, incompetence or perhaps some hidden motives, can cause to the nation. Not now, not anymore, never again,” Modi, who was received at the airport by Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, said.

DMK working president MK Stalin at a protest march in Chennai on Thursday. (Twitter/MK Stalin)

Modi cited the examples of bullet-proof jackets and procurement of fighter aircraft to drive home his point on how the previous UPA regime dragged its feet over procurement of defence equipment. “The issue of providing bullet proof jackets to Indian soldiers was kept hanging for years. You would have also seen that we have brought the process to a successful conclusion with a contract that will provide a boost to defence manufacturing in India,” Modi said. The PM also highlighted how the government was quick on its feet to meet operational deficiencies in the IAF, which is down to 31 fighter squadrons as against authorised strength of 42 squadrons.

“The long-drawn process of procurement of fighter aircraft never reached any conclusion. We have not only taken bold action to meet our immediate critical requirements, but have also initiated a new process to procure 110 fighter aircrafts,” Modi said. Last month, the IAF issued a Request for Information for global aircraft manufacturers to buy and make 110 fighter jets in India.

Some workers of opposition parties waved black flags near the Chennai airport as soon as the PM was about to land. (Source: Twitter/MKStalin)

On the business front, Modi said his government had taken steps to strengthen and improve manufacturing licenses, exports clearances, Foreign Direct Investment and reforming procurement. “In all these areas, our regulations, processes and procedures have been made more industry-friendly, more transparent, more predictable, more outcome-oriented,” he added.

Meanwhile, some workers of opposition parties waved black flags near the Chennai airport as soon as the PM was about to land. Members of the newly-formed Tamilaga Kalai Illakiya Panpattu Maiyam, led by veteran film director Bharathiraja, Amir and Vetrimaran were arrested after they entered the airport posing as passengers and protested with black flags. DMK leader MK Stalin, along with his party cadres, protested in Sirkazhi, Nagapattinam district, by wearing black shirts.

My Express

Dhurandhar box office collection day 5: Ranveer Singh film earns Rs 152.75 crore; set to become actor’s highest grosser

‘Concerts in India aren’t safe for women’: British travel influencer says she and her friend were ‘touched without consent’ at Post Malone event in Guwahati

My patient gave up sugar, thought jaggery was safer: Why her HbA1c jumped from 7.2% to 8.5%