UP defence corridor: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that Uttar Pradesh has now become one of the biggest centres for defence manufacturing in India. He explained that more than ₹34,000 crore has already come as investment in the defence corridor of the state. This change shows that India now wants to make its own weapons and equipment instead of buying from other countries.
Rajnath Singh spoke at a public event after he opened Ashok Leyland’s new electric vehicle plant. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy also joined the event.
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Singh said India no longer depends on other nations for weapons, missiles, or defence tools. He said Indian companies now make these items inside the country. He added that a large part of this defence work now happens in Uttar Pradesh.
The defence corridor spreads across Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Agra, Aligarh, and Chitrakoot. Many big companies have started factories in these cities. They make guns, ammunition, and parts used in fighter planes. Rajnath Singh said, “I have been told that investments worth around ₹34,000 crore have been made in these defence corridor nodes,” while talking about the progress of the corridor.
Jobs and factories
Rajnath Singh talked about the Uttar Pradesh Aerospace and Defence Unit and Employment Promotion Policy. He said the policy plans to bring very big investment in the next five years. He also said the policy will help create jobs for lakhs of young people. Because of this, many people will not need to leave the state to find work.
He shared that a BrahMos Aerospace factory already works in Lucknow. This factory makes BrahMos missiles. He said people saw the power of these missiles during Operation Sindoor.
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Singh praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for helping companies get land and approvals on time. He said the “double-engine” government helped development move fast with friendly rules for industries.
He also said Uttar Pradesh earlier had a bad image and people used to call it a “BIMARU” state because of crime and weak systems. Now the situation has changed. New factories open often and the state now plays a strong role in India’s growth.
Singh said better law and order helped investors feel safe. He said peace and safety matter as much as development. According to him, people now live and work without fear.
EV plant and Growth targets
Rajnath Singh said the new electric vehicle plant will help Uttar Pradesh reach its goal of ₹36 lakh crore GSDP. He said the Ashok Leyland plant covers 70 acres of land and the company finished it in just 18 months. This was much faster than the planned 60 months. Once the plant runs fully, it will make 20,500 electric vehicles every year.
Singh spoke highly of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He said India’s respect in the world has grown and other countries now listen to India’s voice.
He said he believes Uttar Pradesh will play a big role in making India a developed country by 2047. He also said the state aims to become a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2030.
Singh said good roads and strong law and order pushed Ashok Leyland to choose Uttar Pradesh for its plant. He said the company first invested ₹250 crore and this amount may grow beyond ₹1,000 crore in the future.
