PM blasts Manmohan govt at Triservices' firepower event

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

previous UPA government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that efforts were made to destroy ordnance factories and even Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was brought to the brink due to misgovernance and dependence on imports to meet requirements of the armed forces.

Speaking at Pokhran after witnessing a firepower demo by the three services utilising indigenous equipment, the PM said that prior to 2014, there were worries about ammunition reserves of the armed forces and scams had stymied procurement processes.

«They destroyed our ordnance factories. We have given them a lifeline and have made them into seven big companies now. They brought HAL to the brink of disaster, we have converted it into a record breaking company,» the PM said after witnessing the 'Bharat Shakti' exercise.

The PM also referred to the ongoing border infrastructure drive, pointing to new projects that are underway and have been inaugurated. «The earlier government was scared of creating modern infrastructure on our borders. But today we have new roads and tunnels in our border areas,» he added.

The prime minister also referred to the legacy of Pokhran at the Tri-Services Live Fire and Manoeuvre Exercise Bharat Shakti. «It is the same Pokhran that witnessed India's nuclear test and today we are witnessing the power of strength from indigenisation,» he said.