The North News
New Delhi, October 27
Rajnath Singh has said the effective use of indigenous equipment during Operation Sindoor has strengthened India’s reputation both regionally and internationally. Addressing the annual session of Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) in New Delhi, the Defence Minister urged the private sector to accelerate innovation, technology-based manufacturing and self-reliance in defence production. The event was held under the theme ‘Defence Self-Reliance: Strengthening National Security through Indigenous Industry’.
He said that the world had witnessed the strength of the Akash missile system, BrahMos, AkashTeer Air Defence Control System and other Indian platforms during Operation Sindoor. He credited both the armed forces and industry for the success, describing the domestic industry as a “fourth pillar” of national defence alongside the Army, Navy and Air Force.
He stressed that the operation should be treated as a case study to guide future preparedness. “Anything can happen at our borders, anywhere, at any time. We need to be ready for a war-like situation, and our preparedness must be based on our own foundation,” he said.
The minister highlighted the government’s push to create a level playing field for defence manufacturing and said that the industry must make full use of the opportunity. He pointed to initiatives such as the National Research Foundation, Quantum Mission, and Atal Innovation Mission to encourage research and innovation.
India’s defence production, Singh noted, had increased from ₹46,000 crore in 2014 to ₹1.51 lakh crore in 2025, with ₹33,000 crore coming from the private sector. Exports had risen from under ₹1,000 crore to nearly ₹24,000 crore in the same period.
He called on private industry to raise its share in defence manufacturing from 25% to at least 50% within three years and emphasised the importance of manufacturing subsystems and components domestically to reduce maintenance and dependency costs.
“Our objective should not be merely to assemble in India, but to build technology-driven manufacturing,” Singh said, urging effective use of technology transfers to empower local industries.
He also encouraged innovation through platforms such as iDEX and ADITI, calling on young entrepreneurs to develop large-scale end-to-end defence technologies.
The session was attended by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, SIDM President Rajinder Singh Bhatia, former President S. P. Shukla, senior defence officials, industry leaders and entrepreneurs.
