On October 17, 2025, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that India’s defense exports had achieved a new record of ₹25,000 crore, up from less than ₹1,000 crore in previous years.
The government aims to generate ₹3 lakh crore in local defense manufacturing and ₹50,000 crore in defense exports by 2029. This significant surge demonstrates India’s progress toward self-reliance in the defense sector.
The Defence Ministry reaffirmed this success on social media, emphasizing the large increase in defence exports in a relatively short time.
During his visit to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Nashik facility, Singh lauded the employees’ enthusiasm and passion in their job. This was his first visit to the site, where he opened HAL’s third production line for the TEJAS MK-1A fighter jet and second production line for the HTT-40 trainer aircraft.
The Defence Minister also watched the first flight of the TEJAS MK-1A, a 4.5-generation multi-role fighter jet equipped with modern combat avionics and air-to-air refuelling capabilities. HAL’s Nashik factory has progressed from producing MiG aircraft to newer platforms such as Sukhoi planes, demonstrating India’s expanding defence manufacturing prowess.
Singh made a symbolic connection between the Nashik plant and the region’s spiritual tradition, evoking Lord Shiva’s spirit, which represents both defense manufacture and the power to protect the nation.
India’s defense production has increased significantly from ₹46,000 crore in 2014-15 to ₹1.5 lakh crore in 2024-25, with exports reaching ₹25,000 crore. The Minister emphasized India’s shift from a strong reliance on foreign defense imports—65 to 70 percent in 2014—to manufacturing around 65 percent of its equipment locally.
The TEJAS MK-1A is designed to replace earlier aircraft such as the MiG-21 and supports a variety of missions, including air defense, ground attack, and maritime strike. The extended production lines at HAL Nashik are planned to increase India’s capacity to build eight TEJAS MK-1A aircraft per year on the new line, bringing HAL’s total TEJAS production to 24 planes per year.
The HTT-40 trainer production line enables critical component assembly, hence increasing indigenous manufacturing capacity. This facility is a key component of India’s efforts to become self-sufficient in defence manufacture, demonstrating the country’s growing strategic, technological, and economic strength in the industry.
Rajnath Singh’s remarks and HAL accomplishments together depict a strong vision for making India a worldwide powerhouse for defense manufacturing and exports by 2029, bolstering national security and economic growth through indigenous capabilities.
