Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday (6th May) announced that investment proposals worth over ₹35,000 crore are being implemented to strengthen the state’s six defence industrial corridors located in Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Agra, Aligarh and Chitrakoot.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the NorthTech Symposium at New Cantt, CM Yogi said that his government has set up a large land bank. He added that the state government is actively working to attract investors to the state. “The state government has also created a large land bank. Through the defence and aerospace policy, incentives are being provided to investors willing to invest,” the Chief Minister said. The symposium was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 4th May. Over 250 companies from the defence sector showcased their products and technologies at the event.
He expressed pleasure over how different areas of the state have developed as centres of defence equipment manufacturing. He highlighted how Aligarh has emerged as the epicentre for small arms, defence equipment and military supplies. He praised Kanpur, which is typically known as the Manchester of the East, for developing as a centre for ammunition, missiles, defence textiles and protective gear.
“Lucknow has been focused on BrahMos missiles and heavy defence manufacturing. Chitrakoot and Agra are being developed for precision engineering in aerospace and defence,” CM Yogi said, adding that the manufacturing of artillery shells, drones, bulletproof jackets, and advanced communication systems is aimed at multiplying and strengthening the capabilities of armed forces.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the state already has the required industrial infrastructure ecosystem for defence manufacturing corridors. He said that the state has a strong base of MSMEs with 96 lakh operational units across different sectors, including hardware, leather and textiles, along with 56 per cent of skilled human capital. “The required ecosystem for defence manufacturing corridors exists in Uttar Pradesh. The state has 56 per cent skilled manpower. There is also a strong base of MSMEs, with 96 lakh units already operational across sectors ranging from hardware to leather and textiles,” he said.
He added that the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur is working in collaboration with the government to develop a Centre of Excellence for drones. “Today, more than 21,000 startups have been established in Uttar Pradesh across sectors, including AI, robotics, drones, semiconductors and data centres,” CM Yogi said.
CM Yogi credited his government’s zero-tolerance policy towards crime and governance reforms for the growth of the state.
