India's Defence Production Rises Four-Fold In A Decade Taking Country Towards Self-Reliance: Rajnath Singh
Defence production rose to ₹1.80 lakh crore in 2026 from ₹46,000 crore in 2014, while exports reached ₹39,000 crore, Rajnath Singh said.
Union minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that India is rapidly heading towards self-reliance in the defence sector with the productions in arms and armaments industry recording four-fold rise in the past one decade.
Sustained efforts over the past decade have led to a record rise in defence production, which reached around Rs 1.80 lakh crore in 2026, up from Rs 46,000 crore in 2014, Mr. Singh said while laying foundation stone for the T-Series Tanks overhaul project at the Vehicle Factory (VF), Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
He said that defence exports have also surged to an all-time high of approximately Rs. 39,000 crores, compared with less than Rs. 1,000 crores earlier.
“These milestones in the defence manufacturing sector in India reflect the country’s emergence as a global manufacturing hub, a reliable technology partner and a trusted defence partner”, he said.
The government’s determined efforts towards building an ‘Atmanirbhar’ Bharat are transforming India’s defence sector and reshaping the world’s perception of the country, he added.
Underlining the evolving nature of warfare, he said that nations with advanced technologies, resilient supply chains, and robust industrial capacity, and dynamic innovation capabilities will be better equipped to withstand prolonged conflicts.
The government is committed to ensuring that the defence forces are not depending on the foreign supply chains for critical requirements.
“Our sole objective is to manufacture defence equipment domestically, undertake repair and maintenance within the country, upgrade existing systems with modern technologies, and develop next generation capabilities indigenously”, he said.
The Rs. 472 crore-project at the Jabalpur VF envisages creation of facilities for the overhaul of the T-72 and T-90 tanks.
The facilities have been envisaged to overhaul 80 tanks annually, ensuring the timely availability of overhauled tanks to the Indian Army and further boosting its operational readiness.
The army requires 230 tanks to be overhauled each year, with the heavy VF, Avadi (Tamil Nadu), currently having the capacity to overhaul 150 tanks annually, according to the Ministry of Defence press release.
