Ranchi, September 19: Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday asserted that Jharkhand, with its abundant uranium reserves, can make a significant contribution to the production of nuclear weapons.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the three-day East Tech defence expo 2025 in Ranchi, Soren said the state government is ready to fully cooperate with the Centre to make the defense sector self-reliant.
“Jharkhand is rich in uranium and can contribute to the production of nuclear weapons. The state government is committed to working with the central government to achieve self-reliance in the defense sector,” Soren told the gathering at the Tana Bhagat Indoor Stadium in Khelgaon.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the contribution of Ranchi-based Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC), once considered the country’s industrial backbone. “HEC has been a mother factory, producing satellites and even components for nuclear projects. Unfortunately, it has been marginalized today, but its contribution to the nation’s defense and space sectors cannot be forgotten,” he said, stressing the need to revive and promote new industries in the state.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, who also addressed the event, emphasized the importance of innovation in modern warfare. He said policy measures are being taken to boost indigenous production of equipment for space and cyber domains.
General Chauhan said that war was both a science and an art, and in the present context, a warrior needed to be creative. He stressed that the strategic selection of weapons and constant review of R&D were essential, adding that artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies should also be explored.
He acknowledged that India had started its indigenization efforts late but maintained that the nation was now on the right track. He further noted that the Act East policy and the goal of defense self-reliance could be achieved only with the participation of states like Jharkhand and West Bengal.
