New Delhi, October 7: In the era of modern warfare, battles are being fought more in the realm of data and algorithms than on traditional battlefields, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday. Addressing a national conference on “Opportunities in Defence Manufacturing”, the minister emphasized the need for intellectual investment in frontier technologies, rather than just physical infrastructure.
“Innovation and cutting-edge technology must be our priority,” he stated.
Ambitious Targets for Defence Production and Exports
Highlighting the government’s vision, Singh said India aims to achieve ₹3 lakh crore in defence production and ₹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029. To facilitate this, the Ministry of Defence has declared 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’, with continuous improvements in policy and implementation.
“Our goals are ambitious and can only be achieved through the collective efforts of all states and union territories,” Singh noted.
Record Growth in Domestic Defence Production
The Defence Minister pointed out that India’s defence production has more than tripled over the past decade—from ₹46,425 crore in 2014 to over ₹1.5 lakh crore today. Significantly, ₹33,000 crore of this comes from the private sector, underlining the growing participation of Indian industries in the country’s self-reliance mission.
India’s defence exports have also seen a dramatic rise—from less than ₹1,000 crore a decade ago to over ₹23,500 crore today.
States Have a Key Role in National Security
Citing examples like ‘Operation Sindhur’, Singh highlighted the proactive involvement of state governments in national-level defence exercises.
“When we move together towards a common goal, no challenge remains insurmountable,” he said.
He reiterated that national security is a shared responsibility, not just of the central government, but of every citizen and institution.
“Strengthening defence is not a one-government task—it’s the collective resolve of the nation,” he added.
Urgent Call to States for Land Cooperation
The minister also urged state governments to expedite the allocation of alternate land where defence land has been used for public infrastructure. He stressed the need to ensure that the operational preparedness of the armed forces is not compromised.
To streamline the approval process for civil projects on defence land, the Ministry has launched an online portal where states can submit their proposals.
No Shortage of Opportunities in Defence Sector
Singh encouraged all states to go beyond the traditional defence corridors and actively develop local defence ecosystems.
“If you have the will, the right policies, skilled manpower, and a commitment to national interest, there is no shortage of opportunities in the defence sector,” he said.
New Digital Platforms Launched for Defence Trade
To promote ease of doing business in the sector, the Defence Minister also launched the ‘Defence EXIM Portal’, designed to streamline the process of issuing export and import authorizations.
Additionally, the ‘DEEP Portal’ (Defence Establishments and Entrepreneurs Platform) was launched to digitally showcase the capabilities and products of Indian defence industries.
