Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that efforts are being made to increase the participation of private sector in defence manufacturing under ‘Make in India’ to boost indigenisation.

Addressing the Armed Forces in New Delhi today, on the eve of Independence Day, the Defence Minister assured the soldiers that the Government will do all that is necessary to keep their morale high and to meet their functional requirements.

He said the Armed Forces are being rapidly modernised as they are at the forefront of the nation’s defence.Rajnath Singh reiterated that India’s defence policy is for peace and stability at the regional, continental and global level.

The Defence Minister listed the measures taken by the government for the welfare of soldiers and their families.He said the government recently enhanced scholarship for the wards of martyrs. A Janaushadhi Kendra was inaugurated at Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt in March this year.

He said this pilot Kendra, which is in line with Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, will benefit in the provisioning of medicines at a much cheaper rate compared to the market.

It will later be replicated in other parts of the country. He said the government has also opened first Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme Polyclinic at Tawang and Tenga in Arunachal Pradesh.