New Delhi, Nov 3 (NVI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said military preparedness in the 21st century was intrinsically linked to technological and industrial capabilities and stressed the need for indigenous production of critical defence equipment and technologies and the capacity to sustain them independently.
Addressing the third edition of the Delhi Defence Dialogue 2026 at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), Singh said self-reliance in defence must be viewed as a quest for technological sovereignty, ensuring that India’s critical defence requirements are not dependent on external sources.
True self-reliance, he said, lies in possessing the knowledge to design defence platforms, the technology to manufacture them, intellectual property to improve them and the capability to sustain them throughout their lifecycle.
Speaking on the theme ‘Defence Reforms, Aatmanirbharta, Collaborations and Exports’, the minister described the four elements as interconnected pillars of India’s ambition to become a developed nation by 2047.
He said defence reforms create an enabling institutional environment, self-reliance strengthens indigenous technological capabilities, collaborations facilitate access to advanced technologies and co-development, while exports provide scale, competitiveness and global partnerships necessary for a sustainable industrial ecosystem.
“These four elements are mutually reinforcing pillars of India’s quest for strategic autonomy,” Singh said, adding that self-reliance without reforms, collaborations and exports would limit the country’s technological horizons and global competitiveness.
Referring to recent conflicts across the world, Singh said the character of warfare was undergoing a fundamental transformation, with battlefields extending beyond land, sea and air into space, cyberspace and the digital domain.
The distinction between conventional and unconventional warfare was increasingly blurring, while relatively inexpensive drones and autonomous systems were challenging sophisticated and costly military platforms, he said.
The ability to innovate rapidly, manufacture at scale and replenish capabilities has become as important as possessing advanced weapon systems, Singh added.
Highlighting measures taken over the past decade to strengthen India’s domestic defence industrial base, he referred to the establishment of defence industrial corridors and the corporatisation of the erstwhile Ordnance Factory Board into seven Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).
These initiatives were aimed at enhancing autonomy, efficiency and competitiveness in defence manufacturing, he said.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to expanding private sector participation in the development and manufacturing of advanced defence platforms and systems.
He said opportunities for private industry in programmes such as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), propulsion systems, Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), artillery ammunition and shipbuilding would accelerate indigenous development and expand manufacturing capacity.
These initiatives are also creating greater opportunities for private industry, MSMEs, start-ups and academia, he added.
Singh said 2025 was observed as the Year of Reforms in the Ministry of Defence, focusing on jointness, integration, emerging technologies, innovation and strengthening the domestic defence industrial ecosystem.
Reforms across policies, institutional structures, technology development, acquisition procedures and ease of doing business were yielding positive results, he said.
Defence production reached a record level of approximately Rs 1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26, while defence exports rose to Rs 38,424 crore, he said, adding that Indian defence products were now reaching more than 80 countries.
The minister attributed the growth in defence exports to sustained policy liberalisation, simplification and standardisation, which had enabled Indian manufacturers, particularly MSMEs, to respond more effectively to international opportunities.
He said defence exports reflected the maturity of India’s domestic industrial ecosystem, competitiveness of indigenous technologies and confidence of international partners in the country’s capabilities.
Singh called for expanding defence exports beyond equipment to include maintenance, repair, training, logistics and technology cooperation, saying every successful export should become the foundation of an enduring strategic partnership.
The government remains committed to achieving defence production of Rs 3 lakh crore and exports of Rs 50,000 crore by 2029, he said, underlining the need for the domestic industry to expand manufacturing capacity, improve quality and strengthen global competitiveness.
Emphasising the role of the Defence Forces in research and development, Singh said their operational experience and understanding of battlefield requirements were invaluable in identifying research priorities and assessing emerging technologies.
However, he cautioned against restricting research to immediate operational requirements, saying it could limit innovation and prevent scientists from exploring possibilities beyond currently recognised problems.
R&D must have the freedom to question established assumptions, pursue unconventional ideas and develop technologies whose applications may not be immediately apparent, he said.
Singh called for a balance between operational requirements and research freedom, stressing the need to encourage experimentation and ensure successful innovations move from laboratories and prototypes to production and operational induction.
On international defence cooperation, the minister said India’s pursuit of self-reliance did not signify a retreat from the world but positioned the country better for global partnerships.
While traditional partnerships based on procurement, licensed manufacturing and technology transfer had contributed to India’s industrial capabilities, future requirements demanded a more ambitious approach based on co-development, co-production and shared innovation, he said.
Such partnerships should ensure meaningful Indian participation in design and development, access to critical technologies, appropriate sharing of intellectual property and opportunities for domestic companies in global supply chains, Singh said.
He noted that India’s large domestic market, expanding industrial base and pool of scientific and engineering talent offered significant opportunities for international companies to partner with Indian industry.
Concluding his address, the minister called for a collective commitment from the Defence Forces, civil servants, scientists, industry, academia and international partners to realise India’s defence ambitions.
India should move beyond procuring defence technologies towards creating them, beyond manufacturing for domestic requirements towards competing in global markets, and beyond participating in international partnerships towards contributing to the future of global defence technology, he said.
In his welcome remarks, MP-IDSA Director General Ambassador Sujan R Chinoy said the dialogue would provide a platform for exchanging perspectives on defence reforms, indigenous capabilities, international collaborations and defence exports.
He also referred to preparatory roundtables on propulsion systems and defence exports, besides the inaugural ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum, which strengthened the institute’s international engagement.
CISC Air Marshal Tejinder Singh, Additional Secretary Dipti Mohil Chawla, senior serving and retired officials and foreign dignitaries were present.
The two-day Delhi Defence Dialogue, being held on November 3 and 4, brings together policymakers, representatives of the Defence Forces, defence industry, academia, think tanks and strategic experts from India and abroad to deliberate on the country’s evolving defence priorities and opportunities for international cooperation.
The discussions aim to generate actionable policy recommendations to strengthen defence preparedness, promote indigenous technological capabilities and expand international cooperation, while facilitating greater engagement among the government, industry, original equipment manufacturers, MSMEs, start-ups and research institutions.—(NVI)
