BENGALURU: The state government is urging Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to announce defence technology hubs in Karnataka so that it further enhances the production of aerospace and defence manufacturing units in the state.
Industry Minister Jagadish Shettar wrote a letter to Singh saying that the Union government is establishing two defence corridors — one in Uttar Pradesh and one in Tamil Nadu — hence, encouraging aerospace and defence manufacturing units in Karnataka, will help the state further. More than 25 per cent of India’s aircraft and spacecraft industry is based in Karnataka. Nearly 67 per cent of all aircraft and helicopter manufacturing for defence services is done in the state and over 65 per cent of the country’s aerospace related exports are from Karnataka.
More than 2,000 medium and small scale industries are capable of carrying out sub contracting work. Also, Bengaluru is the only Indian city to feature in top 10 global aerospace cities of the future by FDI intelligence. Shettar said the state is suited for the establishment of defence technology hubs, given its research & development and IT culture and presence of leading PSUs, including HAL, BEL and laboratories like DRDO.