NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said India’s defence sector had undergone an “unprecedented transformation” over the past 12 years, with domestic defence production rising nearly fourfold to a record Rs 1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26.In his message to soldiers on the eve of Independence Day, Rajnath said India had reduced its dependence on defence imports while strengthening indigenous manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.“”You all know that under the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, our government has always accorded the highest priority to self-reliance in the defence sector. Over the past 12 years, you have witnessed unprecedented transformation in the defence sector through Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India,” he said.“Our domestic defence production, which stood at around Rs 46,000 crore in 2014, reached a record Rs 1.78 lakh crore in FY 2025-26. This means that over the past decade, our domestic defence production has increased nearly fourfold. This is proof of the structural changes that have taken place over the past decade,” the defence minister added.The union minister further highlighted recent tests and developments in indigenous defence technology, including the MIRV-equipped Advanced Agni missile, Rudram-II air-to-surface missile, Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile and Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket.“We have also made major advances in hypersonic technology. The successful demonstration of Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet technology is equally significant,” he said.He also said the first successful test of the indigenous Kusha Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile had strengthened India’s air-defence capabilities.
91% indegenisation in Army ammunitions
As Rajnath hailed the growth in defence sector, the ministry of defence said India’s defence production reached a record Rs 1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26, nearly four times the level of 2014. The government said defence exports have grown 56-fold, from Rs 686 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 38,424 crore in 2025-26, with Indian defence products now reaching more than 80 countries.The defence budget has increased 3.1-fold, from Rs 2.53 lakh crore in 2013-14 to Rs 7.85 lakh crore in 2026-27, while capital expenditure has risen 2.3-fold to Rs 2.19 lakh crore. Defence R&D spending has more than doubled to Rs 29,100 crore in 2026-27 from Rs 13,716 crore in 2014-15.
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The ministry said the Indian Army has achieved roughly 91% self-sufficiency in ammunition, having indigenised 159 of 175 ammunition variants.The government is targeting Rs 3 lakh crore in annual defence production and Rs 50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029.
