RANCHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday, said the State is endowed with uranium and can contribute significantly to the manufacturing of nuclear weapons.
Addressing the inaugural session of the East Tech Symposium 2025 (Defence Expo) at Tana Bhagat Indoor Stadium in Ranchi, Soren assured that his government is ready to fully cooperate with the Centre to make the defence sector self-reliant.
“Jharkhand is a state of potential. Raw materials used in the defense sector are abundant here. Uranium is also available in sufficient quantities,” said Hemant Soren.
He also highlighted that Jharkhand has a unique identity in India’s industrial growth.
“Several major industries have been established here, and many small and medium enterprises have flourished,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the Central and State governments must coordinate and play their role in promoting industrial institutions through cooperation, so that the state and the country can move towards self-reliance in the field of industry.
“By working together, new dimensions can be added to the defense-related industry sector,” said Soren. The state government will provide full support to the defense sector, he added.
Soren said that it is a matter of good fortune that the Chief of Defense of the Indian Armed Forces is present among us today. His efforts in the field of MSME are also a positive initiative, he said while addressing the crowd.
Calling the event a distinctive platform to explore new dimensions in defence, the CM also underlined the decline of Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC) in Ranchi, once a leading contributor to satellite and nuclear components.
“It is really painful to see such a premier institution not performing to its potential due to flawed policy decisions. Both the Centre and the state must work together to revive such industries,” stressed Soren.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, in his keynote address, underscored the importance of indigenisation in defence manufacturing.
“Although India began indigenisation late, we are now on the right path. Strategic selection of weapons and alignment of R&D with modern needs are vital,” he said.
Highlighting the role of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, General Chauhan called for an expanded defence manufacturing base. He also noted that states like Jharkhand and West Bengal can play a pivotal role in realising the Centre’s ‘Act East’ policy and the vision of self-reliance in defence.
Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari, Eastern Command chief Lt Gen Ramchandra Tiwari, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Surat Singh, along with senior officials from the Defence Ministry and leading industry representatives, also attended the event.