While the Union government announced that its major defence exhibition, DefExpo 2022, will be hosted in Gandhinagar from October 18 to 22, the Gujarat BJP administration anticipates that the Union government will agree its demand for a defence industrial corridor to be granted to Gujarat.
The Union government has allocated defensive industrial corridors to states such as Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and others.
The exhibition was scheduled to take place in Gandhinagar from March 10 to 14, but it was postponed owing to the Russia-Ukraine war and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani has written to the Union government, requesting the establishment of a defence industries corridor (DIC) and other amenities in the state. DICs were granted to states such as Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in 2020.
The letter, issued under Vijay Rupani’s tenure, adds, “Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India drive, the government of India is supporting defensive industrial corridors (DICs) in the country.” Despite many demands, Gujarat has yet to receive a DIC, a defence public sector unit (PSU), or a DRDO (Defense Research and Development Organization) laboratory.”
According to the letter, “Gujarat is an industrial state with a very favourable atmosphere for the defence industry.” Gujarat provides a favourable environment for various defence corridors, including Kutch, Rajkot, Ahmedabad (Sanand), Surendranagar, Surat, and Bharuch. The Gujarat government is eager to promote the state’s defence industry. If the government of India proposes a defence industrial corridor in the Dholera special investment region (SIR), the Gujarat government can give land and other infrastructure.”
According to a prominent figure in the state government, DefExpo is being conducted again, and the government has raised the issue with the central government once more. “We have requested a defence industrial corridor and large defence PSU production units in Gujarat.” We are hopeful that the GOI will take our request into account in order to recruit defence industrial firms to Gujarat.”
According to government sources, Gujarat has considerable capacity for developing weaponry and ammunition, producing defence vehicles, and manufacturing advanced defence equipment.
The government of India has granted defence production licences to approximately 22 companies in Gujarat, but the majority are awaiting long-term orders from the Union government before they can begin operations. L&T has begun production of tanks in Hazira, near Surat.
