Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that India aims to achieve defence production worth 3 lakh crore rupees and defence exports of 50 thousand crore rupees by 2029.
Addressing the Consultative Committee of the Defence Ministry in Jaisalmer, Mr Singh said the government is committed to building a technologically empowered military capable of meeting present-day and emerging security challenges.
He said defence production had increased from 46,429 crore rupees in 2014-15 to a record 1.78 lakh crore rupees in 2025-26. Defence exports has risen from less than 2,000 crore rupees in 2014 to approximately 40,000 crore rupees.
Mr Singh highlighted the record defence budget of 7.85 lakh crore rupees for 2026-27, including a capital outlay of 2.19 lakh crore rupees for modernisation and capital procurement. He said, adequate funding, effective utilisation of resources and prioritisation of the Services’ critical requirements were essential to strengthening military capabilities.
The meeting discussed emerging security challenges, changing warfare practices and the induction of next-generation platforms, weapons and technologies. Strengthening coordination among the three Services, joint operational planning and the use of capabilities across multiple domains were among the key priorities.
Participants also examined the role of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, unmanned platforms, cyber and space capabilities, electronic warfare and advanced communications in preparing the military for future conflicts.
Highlighting DRDO’s work on advanced weapons, missiles and systems, Defence Minister said the government is enabling greater private sector participation, from MSMEs to large corporations. He described the effort to strengthen defence capabilities as a “whole-of-the-nation” approach.
