New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, June 28, highlighted several milestones achieved by the country to become self-reliant as he cited the maiden flight of the made-in-India C-295 aircraft that will boost aerospace manufacturing abilities.

In his monthly radio broadcast ‘Mann Ki Baat‘, Modi noted that in June itself, the country achieved a major success in the aviation sector.

Noting that the C-295 aircraft has been made in India, he said, “as many as 40 such aircraft are being built right here in India and this is giving new strength to MSMEs and the aerospace sector”.

It will also increase employment opportunities, he said.

The first made-in-India C-295 military transport aircraft successfully completed its maiden flight on June 10.

The IAF is procuring 56 C-295 transport aircraft at a cost of around Rs 21,935 crore.

Forty of these aircraft will be assembled by Tata Advanced Systems Limited in cooperation with Airbus at a production facility in Vadodara.

Modi said in June too, the country achieved some milestones that fill every citizen with pride.

“Recently, I got the opportunity to participate in a Navy-related programme in Kolkata. There, INS Dunagiri, INS Shanshak and INS Agrya were inducted into the Indian Navy’s fleet. From the design to manufacturing of these ships, everything is indigenous,” he said.

The prime minister also referred to the International Yoga Day celebrated on June 21, and said diverse yoga programmes were held at more than 2,500 places around the world where crores of people participated.

He there was also significant buzz about the ‘World Yoga Asana Championship’ organised in Ahmedabad where India won a total of 114 medals, including 102 gold medals. India topped the medal tally in this championship, he said.

Modi also spoke about the revival of an ancient tradition by the Nalanda University, the tradition of ‘Shastrarth’.

He said ‘Shastrarth’ is not merely a means to express one’s own views, it is a disciplined process of debate, dialogue, and deliberation.

“In it, presenting one’s point with logic, with facts, is extremely important, and one must have mastery in that. The practice of patiently listening to and understanding ideas of others also comes from this Shastrarth process. I am glad that Nalanda University has made it a part of its convocation ceremony,” he said.