Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh ne Saturday, 23 May 2026, ko Shirdi, Maharashtra mein ek private-sector Defence Manufacturing Complex ki inauguration ki aur India ka pehla 300-kilometre Universal Rocket Launching System 'Suryastra' ka pratham batch ka udghatan kiya. Event ko Ahilyanagar mein manaya gaya, jahaan missile complex ke foundation stone ka shilanyas kiya gaya, modern artillery shell manufacturing facility ki inauguration ki gayi, aur US-based satellite imagery firm BlackSky ke saath ek contract ki signing ki gayi.
Addressing gathering mein, Singh ne yeh bataya ki India 25-30 saal mein ek major global exporter of defence equipment banne ke liye taiyar hai. "Jin deshon mein strong indigenous defence capabilities hain, ve apni destiny ka apnaan karte hain," usey kehna tha. Usne yeh bhi bataya ki India defence equipment ke net importer se ek nation ban gaya hai jo advanced weapon systems ko manufacture karne mein saksham hai. Singh ne growing role of private sector in defence manufacturing ko highlight kiya, jiska current share 25-30% hai aur aane waale saal mein lagbhag 50% ho jayega.
Defence Minister ne Nibe Group ke Rs 3,000-crore defence manufacturing complex ko Shirdi mein inaugurated, jahaan 'Suryastra' universal rocket launchers ki production hogi. Is launcher ki pehli batch, jo Israel-based Elbit Systems ke saath partnership mein develop ki gayi hai, ne ek Rs 293-crore emergency procurement contract ke under Indian Army mein induction ki gayi hai. 'Suryastra' system mein "shoot-and-scoot" capability hai aur yeh precision-guided rockets (150-300 km range) aur loitering munitions (up to 100 km range) fire kar sakti hai. Is system ko May 18-19, 2026 ko Integrated Test Range mein successful firing trials ke liye bheja gaya tha.
Nibe Group ke Chief Technical Officer, Balakrishnan Swamy ne bataya ki Indian Army ko 'Suryastra' system ke liye 7-9 regiments ki jarurat hogi, jo Rs 6,000 crore ki long-term orders ko lead kar sakti hai. Company ne Rs 10,000 crore ki investment ki plan banayi hai, jismein manufacturing capacity ko expand kiya jayega, local supply chain ko strengthen kiya jayega, aur 5,000 jobs ki generation hogi. Swamy ne yeh bhi bataya ki ek indigenous drone, jo 1,000 km ki strike range ko cover kar sakti hai, June mein demonstration ke liye ready hogi, jismein Shahed Kamikaze drones ke battlefield use se seekh li gayi hai.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, jo event mein present the, ne state ki growing prominence in defence manufacturing ko highlight kiya. Usne yeh bhi bataya ki Maharashtra defence production ke ek leading hub banne ke liye taiyar hai, jismein Nashik, Pune, Ahilyanagar, aur Nagpur mein defence corridors hain. "Defence Minister ne Maharashtra ke liye ek defence corridor ka approval diya hai," Fadnavis ne bataya. Usne yeh bhi bataya ki ek strong aur self-reliant nation ke liye domestic aur global security ke liye zaroori hai.
Event mein top defence officials, jismein Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat, aur Nibe Group CMD Ganesh Nibe shamil the. Singh ne artillery shell manufacturing facility ki inauguration, missile complex ka shilanyas, aur BlackSky ke saath contract ki signing ko bhi significant milestones in India's defence self-reliance journey ke roop mein highlight kiya.
