Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday announced that investment proposals worth over Rs 35,000 crore are being implemented across the state's six defence industrial corridors located in Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Agra, Aligarh, and Chitrakoot.
Key Hubs for Defence Manufacturing
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the three-day NorthTech Symposium in Prayagraj, Adityanath described Aligarh as a hub for small arms and defence supplies. He noted that Kanpur, known as the Manchester of the East, is emerging as a centre for ammunition, missiles, and defence textiles. “Lucknow has been focused on BrahMos missiles and heavy defence manufacturing. Chitrakoot and Agra are being developed for precision engineering in aerospace and defence,” PTI quoted him as saying.
Skilled Manpower and MSME Base
The chief minister pointed to Uttar Pradesh's defence manufacturing ecosystem, claiming that the state has 56% skilled manpower and a large MSME base. He announced that his government is working with the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur to develop a Centre of Excellence for drones.
Startup Ecosystem and Law and Order
Adityanath noted that more than 21,000 startups have been established in Uttar Pradesh across sectors including AI, robotics, drones, semiconductors, and data centres. He attributed this growth to a focus on law and order since 2017, including a zero-tolerance policy against crime, and added that improved security and infrastructure have helped attract investment.
The NorthTech Symposium was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on May 4, with over 250 defence companies participating.
