Congress-NCP ignored Army's need of bullet proof jackets: Modi

Stressing that national security has always been BJP's top priority, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a dig at Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) by accusing them of ignoring the interest of armed forces and failing to provide sufficient bullet-proof jackets to them during the tenure of UPA government.

"In 2009, our Army had asked for 1.86 lakh bullet-proof jackets. Our jawans were fighting without bullet-proof jackets. Between 2009-2014, the Congress government that was supported by NCP ignored the Army's needs. We started the process as soon as we formed the government in 2014," he said while addressing a public rally organised to mark the conclusion of 'Mahajanadesh Yatra' here.

"We are now exporting bulletproof jackets to more than 100 countries in the world. BJP government always keeps the national security as its top priority," he added.

He stressed that the Make in India' project is gaining speed in Maharashtra and said that the government is working to develop Nashik into a defence innovation hub.

"Nashik will turn into a central figure in building India's defence equipments in the near future. We are working to make it a defence innovation hub," Modi said.

"Recently, we had brought two powerful helicopters and soon we will have Rafale jets in our Air Force to strengthen it further," the Prime Minister said.

He further outlined that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) position, which he had announced in his Independence Day speech, has been formalised for better coordination between all the three forces.

Maharashtra, which has 288 Assembly seats, is slated to go to polls later this year.