Rajnath Singh Urges Private Sector To Boost India’s Defence Manufacturing To 50%

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking on the lessons from Operation Sindoor, emphasised the need for India to strengthen its self-reliance in defence preparedness. Highlighting the transformation since 2014, he said India has moved from being import-dependent to manufacturing most of its defence equipment domestically. Singh revealed that the country’s defence production has surged from ₹46,000 crore in 2014 to over ₹1.5 lakh crore today, with more than ₹33,000 crore contributed by the private sector. Defence exports too have risen sharply — from less than ₹1,000 crore to nearly ₹24,000 crore — and are expected to reach ₹30,000 crore by March 2026. Urging the private sector to increase its share in domestic defence manufacturing from 25% to 50% in the next few years, he assured full government support and direct accessibility to industry representatives. Rajnath Singh’s message was clear — India’s defence strength must stand firmly on its own foundation.