India’s Defence Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, has announced a major initiative to strengthen the nation’s defence capabilities, revealing that the government will soon invite proposals for medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone contracts worth Rs 30 billion. Committed to promoting indigenisation, the Ministry of Defence plans to spend at least 75 per cent of its capital expenditure within India. It is also advocating for a minimum 17 per cent annual increase in the defence budget to support the country’s strategic ambitions. Speaking to CNBC-TV18 at the Reforms Reloaded event in New Delhi, Singh stated that the Defence Ministry is preparing to issue a request for proposal (RFP) for the MALE drones, with an estimated cost of Rs 30 billion. He added that total defence orders could
India Plans Rs 30bn Drone Contracts to Boost Defence

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