India moving from Defence Importer to Trusted Global Defence Supplier: RM
Published: Sep 28, 2026
By TIOLCorplaws News Service
NEW DELHI, SEP 28, 2026: "INDIA believes in peace and does not seek to occupy the territory of any country. However, peace should not be mistaken for weakness. We seek global stability, but not at the cost of our strategic autonomy. We are firmly committed to safeguarding our security and strategic autonomy when threatened," said Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh while addressing a Defence Conclave in New Delhi on September 27, 2026.
Raksha Mantri underlined that there can be no scope for dialogue with any country that promotes terrorism against India. "Countries that use terrorism as an instrument of state policy or provide shelter and support to terrorists must be firmly reminded that terrorism cannot be a strategic asset for any nation. He asserted that as long as a neighbouring country continues to pursue a policy of supporting terrorism, India remains fully entitled to take all necessary measures against terrorism", he said, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks at the recent SCO meeting.
Emphasising national unity as a key pillar of national security, the Raksha Mantri stated that the security of the country is not solely the responsibility of the armed forces but a collective responsibility of every citizen. He urged citizens to rise above divisions based on religion, caste, creed, language, region and other identities, and to place national interest above personal and narrow interests.
Rajnath Singh described India as a civilizational power whose rise is based on inclusive development rather than confrontation or disruption. He outlined three foundations of India's approach: its long democratic and civilizational traditions, the principle of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' and the vision of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', and five strategic pillars-respect, dialogue, prosperity, security and culture.
Focusing on the Global South, Raksha Mantri highlighted India's growing role as a trusted partner and 'Vishwa Bandhu'. He noted that under Vaccine Maitri, India supplied more than 30 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses to over 100 countries and has supported developing nations through medicines, digital payment solutions, expertise and resources. He also highlighted initiatives such as the Voice of Global South Summits to advance the interests of developing countries. Emphasising responsible use of power, he called for cooperation even amid competition and inclusive participation in global development.
Rajnath Singh highlighted India's significant progress towards self-reliance in defence, noting that the country is developing indigenous capabilities ranging from aircraft and drone engines to fifth- and sixth-generation fighter jets. India's defence exports have grown from just Rs 686 crore in 2013–14 to a record Rs 38,424 crore in 2025–26, reaching more than 100 countries. After achieving the Rs 30,000-crore export target last year, India has now set a target of Rs 50,000 crore by 2029.
He emphasised that growing international demand for Indian missiles, radars, ammunition and defence platforms reflects global confidence in India's technology, quality and delivery capabilities. Consequently, "Made in India" is increasingly emerging not merely as a manufacturing label, but as a symbol of trust in Indian defence capabilities.
Raksha Mantri highlighted the significant increase in defence allocation, which has reached Rs 7.85 lakh crore in 2026-27, compared to around Rs 2.53 lakh crore in 2013-14. He noted that around 75% of the capital acquisition budget, amounting to Rs 1.39 lakh crore, has been earmarked for procurement from the domestic defence industry, thereby strengthening indigenous manufacturing and associated MSME supply chains.
Rajnath Singh stated that the nature of warfare is rapidly changing, with modern conflicts extending beyond conventional domains to cyber, space, electronic and information warfare, alongside emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, drones, autonomous systems, quantum technology and hypersonic systems. He underlined the need for India to develop future-ready capabilities across these domains.
Highlighting India's efforts to address strategic vulnerabilities in areas such as technology, energy, data and supply chains, the Raksha Mantri said that initiatives are underway to strengthen domestic capabilities in semiconductors and critical minerals, diversify energy sources and enhance energy security.
Emphasising the importance of self-reliance, the Raksha Mantri stated that 509 defence equipment, weapon systems and platforms have been included in five positive indigenisation lists issued by the Armed Forces. DPSUs have also released six indigenisation lists covering 5,417 items, including strategically important LRUs, subsystems, spares and components, of which around 3,300 have been indigenised.
He highlighted the growing participation of the private sector, startups and MSMEs in defence manufacturing. India's defence ecosystem now includes DPSUs, private industries, more than 16,000 MSMEs, startups, universities and research institutions, with defence manufacturing capabilities emerging across several regions of the country. Investment proposals of about Rs 70,000 crore have been received in the Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridors, with around Rs 10,000 crore already invested.
Raksha Mantri also highlighted the role of the SRIJAN and SRIJAN DEEP portals in strengthening indigenous defence supply chains. He stated that around 33,000 imported items have been identified for import substitution through SRIJAN, of which approximately 15,700 have been indigenised. SRIJAN DEEP has created a national digital database covering more than 40,000 manufacturers and sellers and lakhs of products.
Rajnath Singh underlined the transformation of the DPSU and Ordnance Factory ecosystem, noting that corporatisation of the Ordnance Factories has enhanced their technology orientation, output and accountability. He stated that all 16 DPSUs are currently operating without losses and are increasing their focus on research, development and exports.
Highlighting the role of youth and innovation, he said that iDEX and iDEX-Prime are providing opportunities for startups and innovators to contribute to national security, while programmes such as ADITI are supporting advanced defence technologies. As of March 2026, 676 startups and innovators had been engaged through iDEX and 551 contracts signed. The Ministry has also approved procurement worth more than Rs 2,400 crore from startups/MSMEs and development projects worth over Rs 1,500 crore.
A significant announcement was the decision to transfer DRDO-developed technologies for conventional missile systems to eligible Indian industries, enabling qualifying private companies to undertake production. Rajnath Singh said the move would strengthen the preparedness of the Armed Forces and facilitate timely delivery of missiles. He added that DRDO is increasingly being positioned to focus on research and development while industry assumes a greater role in production.
Raksha Mantri concluded that India's objective is to build indigenous capabilities across the entire defence spectrum-from individual components to complete weapon systems-and to develop technologies domestically rather than remain dependent on imports. He stressed that this approach is aimed at strengthening strategic autonomy, defence preparedness and a resilient indigenous defence-industrial ecosystem.
