News / National
'We've porous borders, we need India,' Muchinguri discloses
23 Mar 2025 at 07:06hrs | Views
Zimbabwe's Minister of Defence, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has sensationally disclosed that the country's borders are too porous hence the need for collaboration with India's technologically-advanced defence industry which has best military hardware for supply to combat smuggling and other security-threatening malpractices.
Speaking during an interview at the India-Zimbabwe mini-defence exhibition (expo) and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony in Harare this Friday, Muchinguri-Kashiri bemoaned spike in illegal (incuding smuggling) activities within and adjacent borders which can merely be thwarted using modern drone technology to fight the security scourge.
"It is quite disheartening that our borders are porous and we therefore need our local defence industry to collaborate with that of India which has more advanced drone technology with capacity to fight criminality. We are going to increase our surveillance system along border lines in order to curb smuggling of goods and other special resources," Muchinguri-Kashiri claims.
"We are working with Indian Defence Industries in complementing our own defence industry. So they are providing us with drones to patrol our porous borders," Muchinguri-Kashiri further said.
"If our defence forces use drone-technology with cameras, there is also a need for helicopters for reaction so it helps our army to see what modern technology is all about. That is why our President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) said we should mechanise, modernise, so that our defence is advanced," Muchinguri-Kashiri added.
"But it does not mean that we always import, but we are looking at everything, but ensuring that as time goes on, our own defence industry will manufacture and produce from within through joint ventures," Muchinguri-Kashiri promised.
Meanwhile, India's Ambassador to Zimbabwe, His Excellency, Bramha Kumar Ladies and Gentlemen, has announced that his country's engagement in the Defence sector came in the wake when Zimbabwe's Defence Minister led a 13-member delegation to India for Aero-India 2025, a biennial Aviation and Defence Expo which is the largest in Asia.
"On 10th of February during the same event, India and Zimbabwe signed an MoU on Defence cooperation, paving the way for enhanced engagements not only in training of personnel but also in Defence production and industry to industry engagement. I hope that this MoU will be an example of fast-track outcomes," Bramha Kumar said.
"India is one of the strongest military forces in the world with a total defence budget of US$74.7 billion making it the fourth highest globally in 2024. The Indian defence manufacturing industry is a significant sector of the economy. The industry is likely to expand and accelerate with rising concerns about national security and need for further modernisation with emergence of new defence technologies," Bramha Kumar added.
Bramha Kumar said the growing demand over the last five years has made India as the fifth-largest importer of defence equipment to gain technological advantages over rival countries.
"Therefore, to modernise its armed forces and reduce dependency on external dependence for defence procurement, several initiatives have been taken by the government to encourage 'Make in India' activities via policy support initiatives in defence. Separately, two Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh (in Central India) and Tamil Nadu (South East coastal area) are providing new opportunities for domestic and foreign investors to participate in Make in India initiative for defence production," Bramha Kumar announced.
India has around 194 defence tech startups building innovative tech solutions to empower and support the country's defence production effort. While meeting the rising defence equipment demand domestically, India now exports to over 85 countries.
Annual defence production hits record high of approximately US$ 15.34 billion in FY24 up by 16.7% from the previous year. With constant efforts, defence exports have realised US$ 2.63 billion in the last financial year up by 32.5% from its previous year.
India's target is to reach US$ 6.02 billion worth of annual defence exports by 2028-29. The signing of the defence MoU and the maiden mini defence expo is a very important step when the two countries are aspiring to explore newer areas of cooperation.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri disclosed that about 35 Military Commanders are currently in India in fulfilment of Zimbabwe's quest to establish a military hospital for education, piloting (Airforce), nursing or medical training and to ensure treatment of local patients using advanced equipment.
Speaking during an interview at the India-Zimbabwe mini-defence exhibition (expo) and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony in Harare this Friday, Muchinguri-Kashiri bemoaned spike in illegal (incuding smuggling) activities within and adjacent borders which can merely be thwarted using modern drone technology to fight the security scourge.
"It is quite disheartening that our borders are porous and we therefore need our local defence industry to collaborate with that of India which has more advanced drone technology with capacity to fight criminality. We are going to increase our surveillance system along border lines in order to curb smuggling of goods and other special resources," Muchinguri-Kashiri claims.
"We are working with Indian Defence Industries in complementing our own defence industry. So they are providing us with drones to patrol our porous borders," Muchinguri-Kashiri further said.
"If our defence forces use drone-technology with cameras, there is also a need for helicopters for reaction so it helps our army to see what modern technology is all about. That is why our President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) said we should mechanise, modernise, so that our defence is advanced," Muchinguri-Kashiri added.
"But it does not mean that we always import, but we are looking at everything, but ensuring that as time goes on, our own defence industry will manufacture and produce from within through joint ventures," Muchinguri-Kashiri promised.
Meanwhile, India's Ambassador to Zimbabwe, His Excellency, Bramha Kumar Ladies and Gentlemen, has announced that his country's engagement in the Defence sector came in the wake when Zimbabwe's Defence Minister led a 13-member delegation to India for Aero-India 2025, a biennial Aviation and Defence Expo which is the largest in Asia.
"On 10th of February during the same event, India and Zimbabwe signed an MoU on Defence cooperation, paving the way for enhanced engagements not only in training of personnel but also in Defence production and industry to industry engagement. I hope that this MoU will be an example of fast-track outcomes," Bramha Kumar said.
"India is one of the strongest military forces in the world with a total defence budget of US$74.7 billion making it the fourth highest globally in 2024. The Indian defence manufacturing industry is a significant sector of the economy. The industry is likely to expand and accelerate with rising concerns about national security and need for further modernisation with emergence of new defence technologies," Bramha Kumar added.
Bramha Kumar said the growing demand over the last five years has made India as the fifth-largest importer of defence equipment to gain technological advantages over rival countries.
"Therefore, to modernise its armed forces and reduce dependency on external dependence for defence procurement, several initiatives have been taken by the government to encourage 'Make in India' activities via policy support initiatives in defence. Separately, two Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh (in Central India) and Tamil Nadu (South East coastal area) are providing new opportunities for domestic and foreign investors to participate in Make in India initiative for defence production," Bramha Kumar announced.
India has around 194 defence tech startups building innovative tech solutions to empower and support the country's defence production effort. While meeting the rising defence equipment demand domestically, India now exports to over 85 countries.
Annual defence production hits record high of approximately US$ 15.34 billion in FY24 up by 16.7% from the previous year. With constant efforts, defence exports have realised US$ 2.63 billion in the last financial year up by 32.5% from its previous year.
India's target is to reach US$ 6.02 billion worth of annual defence exports by 2028-29. The signing of the defence MoU and the maiden mini defence expo is a very important step when the two countries are aspiring to explore newer areas of cooperation.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri disclosed that about 35 Military Commanders are currently in India in fulfilment of Zimbabwe's quest to establish a military hospital for education, piloting (Airforce), nursing or medical training and to ensure treatment of local patients using advanced equipment.
Source - Byo24news
