India’s defence story over the past decade is not merely about bigger military budgets or the acquisition of sophisticated weapons. It is about a strategic shift in national thinking, from dependence to self-reliance, from procurement to production, and from being largely a consumer of defence technology to aspiring to become a producer and exporter. The latest figures released by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) offer a compelling snapshot of this transformation, even as several challenges still lie ahead.The good thing is that India’s defence exports, according to the ministry, have risen sharply, reaching an all-time high of ₹38,424 crore. It was just ₹686 crore in 2013-14. Also, India’s annual defence production reached a record ₹1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26, up 15.6 per cent from the previous year, the Ministry of Defence reported. These figures show the significant progress India has made in strengthening its domestic defence manufacturing sector.Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India’s defence sector has undergone a “significant transformation” over the last decade. He noted that this progress has been driven by the vision of self-reliance and supported by innovation, technology and indigenous manufacturing.

India earlier faced challenges in the defence sector. The country relied heavily on foreign nations for defence equipment. This dependence increased costs and also posed strategic risks. Any geopolitical tensions, sanctions, or disruptions in global supply chains could affect India’s military readiness.The government has taken several steps to face the challenges. The government took time to remove the hurdles and introduced multiple reforms, including the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, Positive Indigenisation Lists, the SRIJAN portal, and liberalised Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms. The aim was to promote domestic manufacturing and gradually reduce dependence on imports. The impact of these initiatives is now clearly visible.

According to official data, nearly 65 per cent of India’s defence equipment is now produced domestically. This is a major change and a step towards self-reliance. Indigenous defence production has increased from ₹43,746 crore in 2013-14 to a record ₹1.78 lakh crore in........

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