India’s armed forces today stand at an inflection point — strategically recalibrating to navigate a world increasingly shaped by multipolarity, emerging technologies, and non-traditional security threats. Since the liberalisation era of 1991, India’s defence transformation has been steadily progressing, and recent policy shifts mark a new era of ambition and innovation. But do these steps sufficiently prepare the military to confront present and future threats?

The economic reforms of 1991 not only unlocked market potential but also catalysed structural thinking within India’s strategic community. Over the following decades, reforms such as the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP), the formation of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), and a more open approach to private and foreign participation in defence manufacturing redefined the contours of military modernisation. Institutional innovations or structural changes included establishment of Strategic Forces Command, HQ of Integrated Defence Staff and the Andaman & Nicobar Command. By the mid-2000s, the focus had shifted toward increasing transparency and indigenisation, particularly through the expansion of DRDO-led projects and a growing private sector role. The 2010s witnessed the mainstreaming of digital procurement systems and increased international collaboration. The cumulative effect of these developments created the scaffolding upon which current reforms rest.

The formation of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) in 2020, introduced a much-needed focus on jointness and interoperability. The DMA was particularly significant in devolving ministerial powers to military leadership based on domain expertise, streamlining decision-making processes, and enhancing civil-military coordination.

The year 2025 has come to be known as a turning point — dubbed the “Year of Reforms" — as Ministry of Defence aims announcement and rollout of several landmark initiatives. This included acceleration of indigenous capital acquisition projects, deeper integration of dual-use technologies via iDEX, structural overhaul of the Quality Assurance regime under DGQA, and plans to open up defence testing infrastructure to private innovators. These policy moves reflect a broader strategic vision that seeks not only to modernise but........

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