Russia's state defense orders will grow by 8.5% to 1.175 trillion rubles ($40.5 billion) in 2010, the prime minister told the ruling party on Saturday.

Addressing the United Russia party congress in St. Petersburg, Vladimir Putin said: "I consider the growth in military orders to be an important instrument for modernizing the military industrial complex itself, and also connected sectors, and providing a stimulus for the emergence of promising scientific developments, and production of new materials and components."

He also highlighted the need to "reliably guarantee Russia's independent access to crucially important military technologies."

Putin said that over the past year, the country's defense industry has grown by 4%.

Defense orders include spending on armaments by the military and security services, as well as outlays on repairs, modernization, and research and development.