New Delhi: Backed by a major boost in indigenous defence production, India is rapidly emerging as a credible global security partner, expanding its strategic footprint from the Indian Ocean to the Indo-Pacific, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday.
In an address at an event, Singh, sending a firm message to Pakistan, said New Delhi has clearly articulated its perspective on terrorism before the entire world and stressed that “zero tolerance against terrorism is not merely a statement for us, but a Line of Action.”
“We will strike against terrorism not just at the doorstep but by entering the house. The whole world saw this during Operation Sindoor,” he noted.
The defence minister also highlighted India’s success in indigenous defence manufacturing.
Defence products made in India are being exported to nearly 100 countries and that the total volume of the country’s defence production has reached a record level of nearly Rs 1.78 lakh crore annually, he said.
“Today, India is not just manufacturing defence equipment for itself. India is becoming a credible security partner for the world. From the Indian Ocean to the Indo-Pacific, India’s role is continuously strengthening,” he said in Hindi.
The defence minister added that the nation is well-positioned to hit a Rs 3 lakh crore defence production milestone by 2029.
“If a country depends on other countries for weapons, ammunition, navigation systems, missiles, radars and drones, then its strategic and military autonomy also becomes limited. We are working with the full intention of completely changing this,” he said.
Singh said the success of Operation Sindoor is a testament to the trust in India’s industries.
The defence minister said the “biggest step” the Modi government has taken towards strengthening India in the defence sector is to promote self-reliance in the defence industrial sector.
“Our vision for empowering India in the defence sector is the one that trusts India’s capabilities. But the perspective of previous government was, somehow doubtful about India’s potential and capability.
“They perhaps did not have as much faith in India’s capabilities as our government does,” he said.
“Operation Sindoor was, in itself, a splendid example of technological warfare. In this operation, along with advanced missile systems like Akashteer, Akash missile system and BrahMos, numerous latest equipment were also utilised.”
Singh said it proved that India’s armed forces not only understand change but are also employing it with confidence. “All of this is becoming possible because a new foundation has been laid over the past 12 years,” he said.
In the year 2013-14, India’s defence exports stood at just Rs 686 crore, but they have crossed an all-time high figure of Rs 38,000 crore in 2025-26, he said.
Listing out the “positive results” achieved due to the continuous efforts to promote self-reliance in defence, Singh said the annual defence production reached the record high of Rs 1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26 from Rs 40,000 crore around 2014.
“Our defence production target is to surpass the figure of Rs 2 lakh crore this year and Rs 3 lakh crore by 2029. Our goal is to ensure that defence exports reach Rs 50,000 crore by 2029. Given the current pace of progress, I am confident that we will succeed in achieving the targets,” he said.
Singh stressed that the government, in the last 12 years, has changed the “outdated mindset” of preferring imports over domestic manufacturing for the security needs of the country.
“Since 2014, it has been our endeavour to strengthen defence preparedness through indigenous production of advanced weapons and technologies, with focus on minimising import dependence.”
“We’ve built a defence industrial ecosystem within the country to fulfill domestic as well as international requirements,” he said.
The defence minister underlined that the government’s vision of transforming the defence sector is rooted in a firm belief in the nation’s potential and capabilities.
Describing self-reliance in defence as the most significant initiative undertaken by the PM Narendra Modi-led government, he stated that India has not only modernised its defence sector but has carried out a major transformation that represents a journey from dependency to self-reliance, and from being a consumer to becoming a producer.
“A nation’s true strength is not measured solely by the size of its military. It depends on its ability to cater to its own needs during times of crisis and providing the soldiers with state-of-the-art weaponry to boost their morale,” he said.
Elaborating further, Singh said the government has undertaken wide-ranging reforms to strengthen India’s defence innovation and manufacturing ecosystem by simplifying defence exports through series of initiatives.
The defence minister stressed that the establishment of defence industrial corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu is another “pathbreaking” reform to achieve the goal of self-reliance.
He stated that advanced defence manufacturing is being carried out within these corridors, with many companies integrating into global supply chains.
“Investments worth approximately Rs 70,000 crore have been proposed for these two defence corridors, with around Rs 10,000 crore already invested,” he said.
