India aims to become a developed nation by 2047 and build the world’s strongest air force, says MoS Sanjay Seth
Defence leaders and industry representatives gather at the IAF's SANKALP workshop in New Delhi. Image: X/ @SIDMIndia.
New Delhi: The minister of state for defence, Sanjay Seth, said on Wednesday that India’s twin goals are to become a developed nation by 2047 and to build one of the world’s most powerful air forces through indigenous technology. He was speaking at a user-industry interactive workshop on maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and indigenization, organized by the Indian Air Force in partnership with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers.
The workshop, themed “Sankalp – Self-reliance, Aatmanirbharta, Native Development, Knowledge Linked Partnership,” brought together the Air Force, defence manufacturers, startups, small businesses and academic institutions. Its aim was to strengthen collaboration on indigenizing defence equipment and building domestic capacity to repair and maintain aircraft, engines and other military platforms.
Seth said around 74,000 Air Force spare parts have already been indigenized, reducing the service’s reliance on imports. He added that more than 17,000 small and medium enterprises, along with thousands of startups, are now part of India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem.
The minister said the country’s culture teaches peace and the welfare of humanity, but that India would respond firmly if threatened by terrorism or aggression. He invoked Lord Shiva’s Tandav as a metaphor for that resolve, while also citing the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, or “the world is one family,” to describe India’s broader outlook.
Seth also offered a numerical analogy to describe coordination within the armed forces. He said that while one plus one normally adds up to two, unity within India’s forces changes that equation to eleven.
He said a soldier at the border is never fighting alone, since the outcome of any battle is also shaped in the country’s factories. This, he said, was a reference to the role of engineers, scientists and manufacturers in supporting military operations.
The workshop did not include any new policy or budget announcement. Instead, it reflected the government’s continuing focus on the Atmanirbhar Bharat, alongside its long-term Viksit Bharat 2047 vision for economic and industrial development.
Seth encouraged startups, researchers and private companies to work on technologies such as artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial vehicles, advanced sensors and cyber capabilities. He said innovation today would shape India’s military strength in the future.
He framed defence indigenization as both a security priority and a driver of economic growth. He pointed to the sector’s potential to generate employment and support high-technology manufacturing over the coming decades.
