Over the previous ten years, India’s defense production has increased thrice, from ₹46,429 crore in 2014–15 to a record high of ₹1.54 lakh crore in the fiscal year 2024–2025.
At a news conference in New Delhi on Thursday, Union Minister of State for Power Shripad Yesso Naik emphasized this achievement. This expansion demonstrates the country’s unwavering dedication to Atmanirbharta, or independence, in the defense industry.
According to Naik, 2025 will be the “year of reforms,” with significant advancements in defense indigenization. The minister, who held the role of Minister of State for Defense from 2019 to 2021, emphasized how these changes have helped India go from being heavily dependent on imports to becoming a leader in innovation and exports.
Similarly, defense exports have surged from less than ₹1,000 crore in 2014 to an unprecedented ₹23,622 crore in FY25. This increase is a reflection of India’s development as a designer, developer, manufacturer, and exporter of cutting-edge defense technologies, solidifying self-reliance as a cornerstone of its rise to prominence in the world.
Currently, India provides about 80 nations with a wide range of defense items, including weapons, ammunition, subsystems, whole systems, and essential parts. Through steady delivery, Naik strengthened bilateral ties and confirmed the nation’s standing as a reliable partner in the global defense supply chain.
The private sector now contributes an astonishing 23% of the total defense production, indicating a thriving public-private relationship. The ecosystem has become more diverse as a result of this change, and manufacturing processes now have more creativity and efficiency.
Over 3,000 of the more than 5,500 products on five positive indigenization lists have already been sourced domestically. By strengthening domestic capabilities and fostering a self-sustaining industrial base, these actions have significantly reduced dependency on imports.
Over ₹9,145 crore has been invested in defense industrial corridors in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, spurring the development of infrastructure and employment. These hubs work as growth engines, drawing in both domestic and international businesses.
The defense ecosystem now includes over 16,000 micro, small, and medium-sized firms (MSMEs), making Atmanirbharta a national movement. Smaller businesses are now able to participate in high-tech production because to this inclusive approach, which has democratized participation.
The government has set a lofty goal for the future: by 2029, it wants to produce ₹3 lakh crore worth of defense and export ₹50,000 crore. Naik presented this goal as a means of making India a leading center for defense production worldwide.
In addition to improving national security, this course raises India’s profile in global geopolitics. As demonstrated by continuing DRDO programs, the country is assuring a significant tactical advantage in the foreseeable future by prioritizing indigenous technologies, from missiles to torpedoes.
The minister’s comments are relevant in light of India’s larger strategic realignments, especially with regard to thwarting regional threats and strengthening relationships with allies like Russia. Such advancements, which promise long-term economic multipliers through exports and knowledge transfer, are in perfect harmony with the Make in India campaign.
Driven by policy reforms, private sector dynamism, and a determined push for self-reliance, India’s defense path underwent a dramatic chapter in 2024–2025, as evidenced by the threefold growth in production and export boom.
