Record defence exports proof of global confidence in 'Make in India' platforms: Rajnath Singh
New Delhi, July 4
Annual defence production touched an all-time high of Rs 1.78 lakh crore in financial year 2025-26, which is three times higher than the figure in FY 2014-15, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday.
On the other hand, defence exports reached a record over Rs 38,000 crore, up from Rs 686 crore in FY 2013-14, representing an increase of nearly 57 times and underlining the global confidence in the 'Make in India' platforms.
"India's journey over the last 12 years has been a progression from shortages to self-reliance, from self-reliance to self-confidence, and from self-confidence towards building a Viksit Bharat," said Rajnath Singh while addressing a media event here.
In its third term, the government is laying a strong foundation for Viksit Bharat through the policy of "Reform, Perform, Transform," exuding confidence that the world will witness the rise of a developed India in the fourth term.
The minister said that when 'Make-in-India' was launched in 2014, certain quarters labelled it as a failure, but the scheme set new benchmarks of success and is continuing to do so even today.
"There has been a transformational change in India's global stature. While the world earlier paid little heed to our voice, today it listens attentively to India's perspective on global issues," he said.
Rajnath Singh further stated that despite early scepticism on India Semiconductor Mission launched in 2021, the nation produced its own semiconductor chips last year due to the establishment of semiconductor parks based on the 'plug-and-play' infrastructure model.
He highlighted India's significant growth in manufacturing and technology, citing the expansion of mobile manufacturing, automobile exports, indigenous locomotive production, and digital infrastructure under Make-in-India.
The minister made special mention of India's digital revolution, stating that 22.35 billion UPI transactions were made in April with a total value of Rs 29 lakh crore, and the facility's international footprint is expanding.
He also spoke of the rapid nationwide rollout of indigenously developed Make-in-India 5G technology, underlining that efforts are being made towards the development of 6G.
Rajnath Singh also highlighted the successful implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), stating that despite initial concerns, it has evolved into a model of cooperative federalism by strengthening coordination between the Centre and States/UTs.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I remember when we used to import almost everything. Now we're exporting - that's a big shift. But we need to ensure these numbers translate into jobs for our engineering graduates too. The potential is there, let's hope it's realized at the grassroots level.
As someone working in the defence sector, I can confirm the momentum is real. The Tejas, BrahMos, and Akash systems are getting serious interest globally. "Make in India" is no longer just a slogan - it's delivering results.
The semiconductor achievement mentioned is huge too! Producing our own chips after just 4 years of the Semiconductor Mission? That's the kind of pace we need. UPI doing 22 billion transactions in a month is just mind-blowing. Digital India plus defence self-reliance = solid foundation for Viksit Bharat.
Great to see India's defence sector booming. As a foreign investor, I'm watching this space closely. The combination of policy support and growing talent pool makes it attractive. But transparency in procurement and consistent regulations will be key to sustaining this growth.
The numbers are impressive no doubt - 1.78 lakh crore production and 38k crore exports! But let's not forget the challenges: we still import critical components, and some projects face delays. The direction is right though - self-reliance is the only way forward for a nation of our size. Need to focus on reducing import dependency further.
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