Rajnath Singh adds to ET GBS 2020 firepower

NEW DELHI: There’s plenty of firepower in the speakers roster of Global Business Summit, presented by the Economic Times and Yes Bank. But few can match Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who will be among the biggest attractions of GBS 2020, the March 6-7 event that will also see Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Chief Guest.

Singh, whose distinguished career includes chief ministership of UP, stints as BJP president and home minister, has been a proactive and reformist defence minister. He has overseen the appointment of General Bipin Rawat as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff as well as a major upgrade in the country’s defence capabilities.

He received India’s first Rafale jet from France last October, and the first batch of jets are arriving in May. Singh led the $3-billion military helicopter purchase deal with the US and the defence ministry also organised recently the largest ever defence expo, with 1,000-plus companies participating.


Modi’s ambitious Make in India plans for defence got a major boost when Singh’s ministry shortlisted Indian shipyards and foreign manufacturers for building six advanced conventional submarines, a Rs 45,000-crore project.

So, the defence minister’s GBS address will be crucial not only for anyone interested in how India is upgrading its lethal force but also for a range of businesses that will likely benefit as indigenous manufacturing finally takes off.

But GBS 2020’s ministerial roster doesn’t end there. There’s cabinet minister Smriti Irani, who holds the important textile portfolio and is one of India’s most combative public speakers. It will also feature ministers of state in charge of super critical sectors civil aviation and power, Hardeep Singh Puri and RK Singh, respectively. They will add even more heft to a lineup that includes Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and Commerce & Railways Minister Piyush Goyal.

Global Business Summit 2020 – nothing else will give you a better idea of Modi Sarkar’s key plans. Be there.