new delhi, May 6
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday 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.”
He said, 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, which is based on the theme of “Raksha Triveni Sangam.”
The Chief Minister said that whether it is the 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.”
He said, “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. Surveillance, intelligence gathering and navigation have become the ‘eyes’ and ‘brain’ of warfare through satellites. Now battles are also being fought through signals and data.”
The Chief Minister further said that 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 Rs 600 crore, but through continuous efforts, our capability has grown to Rs 38,000 to ?50,000 crore in exports. India is now supplying defence products to friendly countries.
He added, “Uttar Pradesh has also made remarkable progress in this field. Rapid work is being carried out on six 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.”
The CM said that 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.”
The Chief Minister said that 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 per cent young and skilled workforce and 96 lakh MSME units connected to various industrial sectors. Adequate land banks are available at all six strategic nodes.
He added that 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. At the same time, 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.
The Chief Minister said that it is a matter of pride to see the Prime Minister’s vision for the defence sector taking shape through this symposium. He described the event as an important platform for the exchange of knowledge, experience and innovation. Referring to the core mantra of Indian culture, “Aa no bhadrah kratavo yantu vishvatah”, he said it has been our tradition to accept knowledge from wherever it comes, and this symposium is taking that spirit forward.
CM Yogi added, “In the past few years, more than 21,000 startups have been established in Uttar Pradesh, working in high-tech sectors such as AI, robotics, drones, semiconductors, data centres, and electric vehicle manufacturing.”
He said that through the coordination of safety, technology and trust, the state has moved beyond its earlier image and established itself as a growth engine of the country. “Zero tolerance towards crime and disorder has been our commitment. From mafia to rule of law and from unrest to celebration, UP has reached this stage,” he added.
The Chief Minister said, Indian culture has always embraced the principle of ‘vasudhaiv kutumbakam”. Generosity is a part of our values, but to protect it, strength and capability are essential.
Referring to the lines of Rashtrakavi Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’, he added that the language of forgiveness and peace can be effectively spoken only by one who possesses sufficient strength. India is not strengthening its strategic and internal power to attack anyone, but to ensure that its generosity is not mistaken for weakness.
The CM further said, “When we assumed office in 2017, the state was struggling with chaos, disorder and a crisis of identity. We resolved to establish the ‘rule of law’ and implemented a zero-tolerance policy against crime and criminals with full strictness.”
He said today, Uttar Pradesh’s law and order model is an example in the country and the world. This strong law and order system has created a reliable and investment-friendly ecosystem in the state, which has accelerated new opportunities for industry and employment.”
He said the Defence Corridor is also a part of this. Today, the state has one of the largest infrastructure networks in the country in the form of expressways, highways, modern railway connectivity, metro networks and air connectivity.
On this occasion, Lieutenant General Anindya Sengupta, Lieutenant General Prateek Sharma, Industrial Development Minister of Uttar Pradesh Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, Lieutenant General V. Hariharan, Director General of Uttar Pradesh Police Rajeev Krishna, Vice President of SIDM Neeraj Gupta, Professor A.K. Ghosh of IIT Kanpur, several senior Army officers and stakeholders were present.
