New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): The user trials of the made-in-India anti-submarine Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket (ERASR) have been successfully conducted from INS Kavaratti, marking a significant milestone in India's naval defence capabilities.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Indian Navy, and the associated industry partners for the successful development and testing of the indigenous system.

In a post on social media platform X , the Defence Ministery stated, 'The User trials of Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket (ERASR) have been successfully carried out from INS Kavaratti. Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh congratulates DRDO, Indian Navy and the Industry involved in development and trials of the System. He has added that the successfully induction of this system will boost the striking power of the Indian Navy.'

Earlier on Monday,Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the demands for Indian defence equipment have increased following Operation Sindoor, and a big market is awaiting India.

Speaking at the Controllers Conference organised by DRDO, the Union Defence Minister said, 'The world is looking towards our Defence sector. The valour that our soldiers have shown during Operation Sindoor, as well as the way we showcased the capabilities of our domestic equipment, has led to an increase in demand for our indigenous defence products. World military expenditure has increased to over USD 2.7 trillion in 2024 - such a big market is awaiting us.'

Singh further mentioned that India's Defence budget is bigger than the GDP of various countries in the world, highlighting the need to utilise the resources in the right way.

'...If you look at our Defence budget, it's bigger than the GDP of some countries in the world. When a significant portion of people's hard-earned income is allocated to the Defence Ministry, our responsibility increases exponentially--we ned effective growth. Our Defence expenditure should be such that not only does the budget increase, but also we should utilise it in the right way - by proper deployment at the right time for the right objective, ' said Union Minister Singh.

The Union Minister lauded the decision of the Defence Acquisition Council to grant permission for capital procurement from the GeM portal.

The Defence Accounts Department (DAD) is hosting the Controllers' Conference 2025 from July 7-9 at the Dr SK Kothari Auditorium, DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi. (ANI)