The North News
New Delhi, April 17
India is positioning itself to become a major player in the global defence industry, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, pledging to boost military production and exports while modernising defence capabilities to match global powers. Speaking at a Defence Conclave in New Delhi, Rajnath Singh said India’s defence strategy was not just about border security, but about achieving strategic autonomy and strengthening its role in global supply chains.
“The day is not far when India will not only emerge as a developed country, but our military power will also be the number one in the world,” Defence Minister said. He said the central, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had made the revival of the defence sector one of its key priorities.
Sharing details, Rajnath Singh said India was moving away from decades of dependence on imports, with a focus on developing a robust defence industrial base. “We are determined to reduce our reliance on foreign imports and build a self-sufficient ecosystem that can meet our domestic needs and also cater to global demand,” he said.
The Defence Minister highlighted that India had issued five positive indigenisation lists each by the armed forces and defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs), identifying over 5,500 items—including weapons, platforms, and critical components—that will now be manufactured domestically.
He added that 75% of the defence capital procurement budget was now reserved for Indian firms.
India’s defence production has seen significant growth, Rajnath Singh said, rising from ₹40,000 crore in 2014 to over ₹1.27 lakh crore in 2024. He projected it would cross ₹1.60 lakh crore this year and reach ₹3 lakh crore by 2029.
Similarly, defence exports have risen from ₹686 crore in 2013-14 to ₹23,622 crore in the current financial year. Singh said Indian-made defence products are now being exported to nearly 100 countries.
“Our target is to reach ₹30,000 crore in exports this year, and ₹50,000 crore by 2029,” he said.
Defence Minister praised the corporatisation of India’s 200-year-old Ordnance Factories, calling it “one of the boldest reforms of the century.” He said the newly formed entities had become profitable and were performing well in their new avatars.
He also cited the success of India’s flagship ‘Make in India’ initiative in building resilience in global defence supply chains. “India is not just building for itself. We are now contributing to a flexible and shock-resistant global defence ecosystem,” he said.
India’s shipbuilding success was also highlighted, with Singh noting that more than 97% of warships for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard are now built in Indian shipyards. Indian-built ships are also being exported to countries including Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and the Maldives.
Rajnath Singh said the Ministry of Defence had declared 2025 as the “Year of Reforms” and emphasised the need for continuous modernisation in the face of evolving warfare.
“Future wars will be more violent and unpredictable. Cyber and space domains are now active battlefields. At the same time, we are also fighting a war of perception and narratives,” he warned.
