PM Narendra Modi flags off 100 'kisan drones', says new drone start-up culture rising in country

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that India’s rising capability in the drone sector will give the world a new leadership as he flagged off 100 ‘kisan drones’ in different parts of the country for spraying pesticides and other farm materials, according to officials who described it as a “very novel and exciting initiative” for farmers.

The PM on Friday flagged off 100 ‘kisan drones’ in different cities and towns of India and virtually addressed a group of farmers gathered at Manesar from where the “Drone Kisan Yatra” was flagged off.

The PM said a new culture of drone start-ups is getting ready in India and that the government will draft policies to ensure that no hindrance comes in the path of the emerging new drone market in the country.

From around 200 start-ups operating in the country currently, their numbers will soon be in thousands, leading to the generation of employment opportunities on a massive scale, he said.

The government will ensure that there is no impediment in the sector’s development and has already undertaken several reforms and policy measures to facilitate its rise, he added.

“Many companies in the country are moving fast in this direction. A new ecosystem of the drone market is developing in India. More than 200 drone startups are currently working in the country and soon their numbers will increase to 1000 which will create huge job opportunities,” he said, adding that the development of the drone market in India will generate fresh employment and new opportunities for the youth.

“I have been told that Garuda Aerospace has set a target of manufacturing 1 lakh Made-in-India drones in the next 2 years. This will generate fresh employment and new opportunities for the youth,” he said.

“The reforms that have taken place in the country in the last few years have given strength to the youth and private sector. India has not lost its time in apprehensions. We relied on youth thinking and went ahead,” he added.

This is an example of how high the country can fly if policies are right, the Prime Minister said, adding that until a few years back drones were mostly associated with the defence sector. PM Modi said that his government did not waste time on apprehensions about opening up the drone sector but trusted India’s young talent and moved ahead with a new mindset.

“This is a new chapter in providing modern farming facilities in the 21st century, and not only will it prove to be a milestone in the development of the drone sector but also open infinite possibilities,” he said.

“Till recently, there was a conception that drones were meant for armed forces and fighting enemies. However, the Kisan Drone Suvidha has added a new chapter in the direction of modern agricultural facilities of the 21st century,” he said.

Pointing to their “unlimited possibilities”, he said the government has given priority to technology and innovations in the Budget and policy measures.

Noting their diverse usages, like in the ‘Swamitva Yojana’ aimed at creating a record of land ownership in villages and transporting medicines and vaccines, he said “farmers can use high-capacity drones in the coming times to transport their produce like fruits, vegetables and flowers to markets in a minimal time, boosting their income”.