Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 27: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the government is creating a level-playing field to strengthen India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem and urged the domestic industry, particularly the private sector, to seize the opportunity.
Addressing the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) event in New Delhi, Singh said that the effective use of indigenous equipment by the Armed Forces during Operation Sindoor enhanced India’s global reputation.
“The world saw the power of Akash missile systems, BrahMos, AkashTeer Air Defence Control System, and other indigenous platforms during Operation Sindoor,” he said, crediting the operation’s success to both the armed forces and “industry warriors” who contributed through innovation, design, and manufacturing.
He said that the operation should serve as a case study for future preparedness and learning, adding, “This incident has once again shown us that 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.”
Rajnath Singh noted that global uncertainties and the weakening of the established world order have made it essential for India to redefine its security and strategy, with indigenisation being the only sustainable path forward.
Highlighting India’s progress in domestic production, he said, “Our defence production, which stood at around Rs 46,000 crore in 2014, has now risen to a record Rs 1.51 lac crore, with the private sector contributing Rs 33,000 crore.”
Defence exports, he added, have also grown from less than Rs 1,000 crore a decade ago to around Rs 24,000 crore, and are expected to touch Rs 30,000 crore by March 2026.
The minister said the government has launched the Defence Procurement Manual 2025 and is revising the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 to simplify and modernise processes.
He urged the private sector to increase its contribution to domestic defence manufacturing from the current 25 per cent to at least 50 per cent within the next three years, stressing that innovation and R&D must remain at the core of India’s march toward self-reliance in defence.