Prayagraj, May 6
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “Warfare has now extended beyond borders to cyber, space, data networks and the electromagnetic spectrum. Along with traditional war skills, technological efficiency, strategic thinking and mental resilience have now become essential. In today’s warfare, keyboards, satellites and data are as important as conventional weapons. Disrupting the enemy’s communication networks and securing one’s own systems is becoming the foundation of modern war strategy.”
Yogi stated, in such a scenario, the nation that can establish a balance between courage and technology will move ahead. “Nation First” is not just a slogan, but a resolve in the life of every Indian soldier. It should also be a guiding principle for every citizen, because the nation is supreme and nothing is greater than it. CM Yogi was addressing the closing ceremony of the North Tech Symposium (NTS) 2026 in Prayagraj on Wednesday, based on the theme “Raksha Triveni Sangam.”
Chief Minister said, whether it is the freezing cold of Siachen, the scorching sands of the desert, the darkness of dense forests, or the infinite challenges of the sea and sky, our soldiers remain prepared in every situation. It is because of their vigilant eyes that the entire country feels secure and at ease. He added, “Modern warfare is no longer limited to land, water and air, but has entered the era of multi-domain operations. Domains such as cyber, space and the electromagnetic spectrum have become equally important in warfare. The keyboard has also become an effective weapon.”
Yogi informed, “Disrupting the enemy’s power grids, radar, GPS, banking and communication systems or making one’s own network secure and impenetrable is now part of modern security strategy. Through satellites, surveillance, intelligence gathering and navigation have become the ‘eyes’ and ‘brain’ of warfare. Now battles are also being fought through signals and data.”
Chief Minister said, global circumstances, especially situations like war, have made it clear how important self-reliance in defence manufacturing is. A few years ago, India’s defence exports were around ₹600 crore, but through continuous efforts, today our capability has reached exports worth ₹38,000 to ₹50,000 crore. India is now supplying defence products to friendly countries. He further informed, “Uttar Pradesh has also made remarkable progress in this field. Rapid work is being carried out on 6 major nodes of the Defence Industrial Corridor in the state, Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Agra, Aligarh and Chitrakoot. Investment proposals worth more than ₹35,000 crore are being implemented in these nodes. The government has created a large land bank under the Defence and Aerospace Policy and is providing attractive incentives to investors.”
Yogi added by saying, Aligarh has emerged as a major centre for manufacturing small arms and defence equipment, while Kanpur is becoming an important hub for the production of ammunition, missiles, defence textiles and protective gear. He said, “Special focus is being given to BrahMos missile and heavy defence manufacturing in the Lucknow and Jhansi nodes, strengthening the country’s military capability. Development is ongoing in aerospace and precision engineering in the Chitrakoot and Agra nodes to strengthen capabilities in all dimensions of defence, including the space domain.”
Chief Minister said, under the UP Defence Corridor, artillery shells, indigenous drones, bulletproof jackets and advanced communication systems are being manufactured. All necessary facilities for the defence manufacturing corridor are available in Uttar Pradesh. The state has a strong base of 56 percent young and skilled workforce and 96 lakh MSME units connected to various industrial sectors. Adequate land banks are available at all 6 strategic nodes.
Yogi added, the state government is continuously working to prepare a market-ready and industry-ready workforce through skill, innovation and technology. In this direction, a Drone Centre of Excellence has been developed in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, while new Centres of Excellence are also being established in various fields through the State Forensic Institute. A strong ecosystem for defence manufacturing is being developed at all strategic nodes.
Chief Minister said, through this symposium, it is a matter of pride to see the Prime Minister’s vision in the defence sector taking shape. This symposium is an important platform for the exchange of knowledge, experience and innovation.
