PM blames Congress for China pipping India in defence production

SOLAN/BATHINDA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the previous Congress governments at the Centre of using defence deals as "ATM for the party".
At a rally in Himachal Pradesh's Solan district, the PM said: "India was dependent on foreign countries for 70% needs of the defence forces during the previous Congress governments. It had been deliberately done as defence deals were an ATM for the Congress."
"We had 18 ordinance factories 150 years before Independence. China had no such experience at that time," Modi claimed. "But now, China has become an exporter of defence production, whereas we are an importer because of the bad policies of earlier Congress governments."
Defence equipment were being procured from 70 countries to meet India's needs, the PM said, adding that his government had tried to reverse the trend during the past five years and the country's defence production increased 80%.
Modi also accused the UPA regime of delaying defence deals at the cost of the lives of the soldiers. During the UPA regime there was demand for bullet proof jackets for the armed forces but same was delayed for six years, he claimed. Addressing a rally for Union minister and Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal in Bathinda on Monday, the PM raised the issues of 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Kartarpur Sahib corridor to attack the Congress.