Rajnath Singh urges defence PSUs to actively participate in PM-SETU

New Delhi: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh government, organized the PM-SETU Industry Conclave in Lucknow to strengthen industry participation in vocational education and transform Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into world-class centres of excellence.

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Addressing the conclave, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stressed that India’s ambition to become a global manufacturing and technology powerhouse depends on a highly skilled workforce. He highlighted the growing demand for future-ready skills in defence manufacturing, aerospace, electronics, drones, robotics, precision engineering and automation.

Singh said that a strong domestic defence industry and a strong skilling ecosystem must develop together to support self-reliance and technological leadership. He also highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s emergence as a major manufacturing and defence production hub, driven by its industrial ecosystem and Defence Corridor.

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Emphasising stronger industry-academia collaboration, the Defence Minister said skill development must be aligned with actual industry requirements, noting that skill certificates are meaningful only when they lead to employment opportunities.

Along with this , Defence Minister also called upon industries to treat PM-SETU as a collaborative mission rather than merely a government scheme and urged Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and defence-related organisations to actively participate in the initiative. He also stressed the need to modernise ITIs and expand apprenticeship opportunities.

Rajnath Singh also concluded that the success of PM-SETU should be judged not by the number of machines installed, but by the employment opportunities created and the lives positively impacted.

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