New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Tuesday, underscored that India’s defence and security are not the responsibility of the government alone, but a shared duty of every citizen. Speaking at the National Conference on ‘Opportunities of Defence Manufacturing in the Country’ at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, the Raksha Mantri called upon all States and Union Territories to actively collaborate in building a robust and globally competitive defence manufacturing ecosystem.
“Self-reliance in defence is not just about production or the economy—it’s about strategic autonomy and sovereignty,” Singh asserted. He emphasised that India’s capability to defend itself must never be dependent on foreign powers, reiterating that “the weapons used by our that “the weapons used by our Armed Forces should be made on our own soil by our own engineers and scientists.”
The Minister highlighted India’s remarkable progress in defence manufacturing, noting that production has surged from ₹46,000 crore in 2014 to a record ₹1.5 lakh crore in 2025. Of this, over ₹33,000 crore now comes from the private sector—proof of industry’s growing partnership in the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission. Defence exports, too, have risen dramatically—from less than ₹1,000 crore in 2014 to ₹23,500 crore this year.
Looking ahead, Singh reaffirmed India’s ambitious goal of achieving ₹3 lakh crore in defence manufacturing and ₹50,000 crore in exports by 2029. “It’s not just about Make in India; it’s about ensuring that, in a crisis, we stand on our own feet,” he said.
During the event, the Raksha Mantri also released a Compendium of State Policies on Defence and Aerospace Manufacturing, designed to align policy frameworks and promote best practices across States and UTs.
He outlined several reforms aimed at improving the Ease of Doing Business in the defence sector—such as the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS), simplified quality assurance procedures, and a centralised testing portal. The Ministry, he said, continues to refine key frameworks including the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) 2025, and the Defence Offsets Policy.
Highlighting the transformative role of technology, Singh urged greater investment in frontier domains like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Quantum Computing, Cybersecurity, and Space Technology. He also launched digital platforms like SRIJAN-DEEP and the Defence Exim Portal to streamline defence exports and promote collaboration.
Reinforcing the inclusive nature of reforms, Singh spoke about the Nari Shakti initiative to empower women in the Armed Forces, enhanced funding for border infrastructure, and the establishment of 100 new Sainik Schools.
“Defence preparedness is not just about arms and ammunition—it’s about national unity, confidence, and the collective resolve to protect our sovereignty,” he concluded.