NEW DELHI: In a powerful address at a Defence Conclave in New Delhi on April 17, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid out an ambitious and confident roadmap for India’s future.
Declaring that India will soon emerge as a developed nation and the world’s foremost military power, he emphasized the twin goals of strategic autonomy and self-reliance through homegrown innovation and industrial transformation.
“The day is not far when India will not only emerge as a developed country, but our Military Power will also emerge as the number one in the world,” said the Defence Minister.
Self-Reliance and Global Resilience
Rajnath Singh underlined the government’s sharp focus on indigenisation, citing the transition away from dependency on defence imports. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the government has made the revival and modernization of India’s defence sector a top priority.
“India’s defence sector is moving ahead on the path of self-reliance, it is also ready to play a very important role in making global supply chains resilient,” he stated.
The Defence Minister noted that India’s defence manufacturing capabilities are not only vital for national security but also offer a buffer against global supply chain shocks. This has been made possible through the Make in India initiative, which now includes five positive indigenisation lists issued by the Armed Forces and five by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), covering over 5,500 items.
Dispelling notions that India’s military buildup was provocative, Singh said India’s growing defence capability was focused on peace.
“Our defence capabilities are like a credible deterrence, to maintain peace and tranquillity. Peace is possible only when we remain strong,” he asserted.
Year of Reforms & Structural Shifts
The Defence Minister announced 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’ for the Ministry of Defence. Highlighting bold structural shifts, he pointed to the corporatisation of the 200-year-old Ordnance Factories—a move that has already turned many of them into profitable enterprises.
“Changing a structure that is more than two hundred years old is a very big reform of this century,” Singh remarked.
Big Numbers, Bigger Ambitions
India’s defence production has surged significantly—from ₹40,000 crore in 2014 to over ₹1.27 lakh crore in 2024. The government aims to surpass ₹1.60 lakh crore in 2025, with a target of ₹3 lakh crore by 2029. Similarly, defence exports have grown from ₹686 crore in 2013–14 to ₹23,622 crore in 2024–25, with an ambitious target of ₹50,000 crore by 2029.
“Defence products made in our country are being exported to about 100 countries,” he noted.
Powering Innovation: Startups & iDEX
In a major boost to startups and MSMEs, Rajnath Singh highlighted the government’s support through initiatives like iDEX, iDEX Prime, and the ADITI scheme. These provide funding between ₹1.5 crore and ₹25 crore to nurture innovations in defence technology.
The Ministry of Defence has already approved purchases worth over ₹2,400 crore from startups and sanctioned projects worth ₹1,500 crore to develop advanced technology.
Technological Edge and Global Standing
The Defence Minister also praised India’s rapid strides in missile systems like Agni and BrahMos, submarines like INS Arihant, aircraft carriers like INS Vikrant, and emerging fields such as AI, cyber defence, drones, and hypersonics.
He acknowledged that aero engine manufacturing remains a challenge but noted progress through the Kaveri engine project and ongoing negotiations with global leaders like GE, Safran, and Rolls-Royce.
He also celebrated India’s dominance in shipbuilding—stating that over 97% of Indian Navy and Coast Guard warships are now built domestically. Indian-made ships are also being exported to strategic partners like Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Maldives.
High-Level Participation
The conclave witnessed the presence of several senior dignitaries, including:
- General Manoj Pande (Former Chief of Army Staff)
- Admiral Sunil Lanba (Former Chief of Naval Staff)
- Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari (Former Chief of the Air Staff)
- Dr Samir V Kamat (Secretary, Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO)
- Sanjeev Kumar (Secretary, Defence Production)
- Sanjay Mitra (Former Defence Secretary)
With these announcements, Rajnath Singh outlined a vision of a self-assured, self-reliant, and globally relevant India—one that is poised not just to secure its own borders but to shape the future of global defence and strategic affairs.
