Mon Feb 03 21:13:39 IST 2025: ## Adani Defence CEO Urges India to Prioritize Core Defence Capabilities in Budget

**New Delhi, [Date]** – Ashish Rajvanshi, CEO of Adani Defence and Aerospace, has called for India to prioritize investment in critical defence capabilities, highlighting vulnerabilities in the current system. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Rajvanshi praised the Union Budget’s defence allocation but argued that current spending isn’t sufficient to address emerging geopolitical challenges.

Rajvanshi emphasized the need for self-reliance, stating that global events have created a surge in demand, leaving India’s traditional allies focused on their own needs. He pointed to the limited domestic production of crucial materials like propellant for ammunition as a critical weakness. He stressed the need for increased investment in core capabilities such as propellant, semiconductors, batteries, and electronics to bolster national security.

While welcoming the 75% allocation to the domestic defence industry, Rajvanshi noted that the majority of this funding goes to the public sector. He advocated for increased private sector participation, citing unspent funds from the previous year (₹13,000 crore) and the full order books of public sector companies as evidence of inefficiency. He suggested exploring better public-private partnerships to optimize resource allocation and build private sector capacity. Adani Defence, he noted, has already pioneered several “firsts” in the private sector, including UAV exports and private ammunition manufacturing.

Rajvanshi also highlighted the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in the defence sector. He cited Adani Defence’s integration of AI into UAVs, emphasizing its potential to improve surveillance, intelligence gathering, and decision-making processes. He sees a promising future for AI in defence, supported by a growing number of Indian startups in the field. The CEO concluded by stressing the need for India to move beyond “business-as-usual” approaches and invest strategically in its long-term defence capabilities.

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