India's Defence Ambitions: A Roadmap to Self-Reliance

India plans to enhance its defence production to Rs 3 lakh crore by 2029, aiming to reduce import dependency and bolster exports. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh envisions a self-reliant, globally influential defence sector, highlighting domestic manufacturing as key to economic and strategic resilience.

The Indian defence sector is gearing up for a transformative journey toward self-reliance, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announcing ambitious production and export targets. This year, India's defence production is expected to surpass Rs 1.60 lakh crore, with aspirations to achieve Rs 3 lakh crore by 2029.

In a speech at the 'Defence Conclave 2025', hosted by 'The Week' magazine, Singh emphasized the importance of creating an indigenous defence industrial ecosystem. This paradigm shift aims to minimize import reliance and diversify exports, setting a target of Rs 30,000 crore in defence exports for this year, escalating to Rs 50,000 crore by 2029.

Highlighting the strategic importance of the 'Make in India' initiative, Singh outlined steps for indigenisation and innovation. The defence ministry has released multiple indigenisation lists covering over 500 items of military hardware, underscoring India's commitment to nurturing a robust domestic defence production landscape.

(With inputs from agencies.)