Staff Reporter
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today highlighted the increasing participation of the private sector in the India’s defence production, stating that India’s defence exports have now reached a record 23 thousand 500 crore rupees.
Addressing the SIDM Annual Conference in New Delhi, the Defence Minister underscored that the country’s domestic defence production over the past decade has increased to a record of more than 1.5 lakh crore rupees and draws more than 33 thousand crore rupees from the Private Sector.
Hailing Operation Sindoor’s success, the Minister lauded the industry warriors for their tireless work on the fronts of innovation, design, and manufacturing. Mr Singh highlighted how the Akash missile system, BrahMos, AkashTeer Air Defence Control System, and many other types of indigenous equipment and platforms demonstrated their prowess during Operation Sindoor. He added that the success of the country’s indigenous platforms has not only enhanced India’s reputation at the regional level but also on the international level.
The Defence Minister also asserted that the government is making efforts to promote domestic vendors, and he added that platforms, systems, and sub-systems should be gradually made indigenous. He also highlighted the provision for at least 50 percent indigenous content for the things which cannot be made in the country.
Mr. Singh also hailed SIDM for establishing crucial collaboration between industries and the armed forces through several strategic MoUs with the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Mr Singh underlined SIDM’s significant role in shaping many important reforms, including the Defence Procurement Manual 2025, and the Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy.
added that the objective should not be merely to assemble in India, but rather develop technology-based manufacturing within the country. “We must ensure that any technology transfer is effective and also serves as a means of empowering our indigenous industries,” he said.
Stating that no country can progress without innovation and R&D, Shri Rajnath Singh exhorted the industry to develop large-scale, end-to-end technological products as SIDM completes a decade next year. “Through iDEX and ADITI, our young innovators and industrialists are given challenges/problem statements. The industry should now take up a challenge to develop large-scale end-to-end technological products and bring them to us. We will discuss them and fill the gaps. Our effort is to collaborate with the private sector and move forward. If we work together, the entire landscape of the defence sector will transform,” he said, extending the Government’s full support.