India's defence production hits Rs. 1,46,000 crore (US$ 17.09 billion), exports at Rs. 24,000 crore (US$ 2.81 billion): Union Minister of Defence, Mr. Rajnath Singh

According to Union Minister of Defence Mr. Rajnath Singh, India's domestic defence production has reached an all-time high of Rs. 1,46,000 crore (US$ 17.09 billion). In comparison, defence exports have crossed Rs. 24,000 crore (US$ 2.81 billion). In the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Annual Summit 2025, he highlighted that this surge underscores the impact of the Make in India initiative, which has significantly reduced dependency on imports and enhanced national security. He noted that defence exports stood at less than Rs. 1,000 crore (US$ 117.1 million) a decade ago and have now risen to Rs. 23,500 crore (US$ 2.75 billion), indicating the growing global credibility of Indian-manufactured defence systems.
He further noted India’s evolving focus beyond conventional technologies such as fighter aircraft and missiles, with increased investment in cyber warfare, space-based capabilities, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven platforms. As per the Union Budget 2025-26, the Defence Ministry received an allocation of Rs. 6,81,000 crore (US$ 79.82 billion), marking a 9.5% increase over last year’s Rs. 6,22,000 crore (US$ 72.82 billion). This constitutes 13.45% of the total budget and approximately 1.9% of the projected Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He also stressed the government's push for deeper private sector engagement and enhanced funding for Research and Development (R&D) in advanced defence manufacturing.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.