Experts highlight significant progress in India’s defence industry, potential for millet exports, and a push for diversified energy sources as key to achieving greater self-reliance amid strategic policy shifts.
India’s path to greater self-reliance will depend on gains in defence manufacturing, agricultural exports and energy security, according to experts cited in a report by Udaipur Kiran. The discussion pointed to a broader shift in which domestic industry, farm policy and power supply are increasingly being treated as strategic issues rather than narrow economic ones.
Retired Brigadier Hemant Mahajan argued that India has already made substantial progress in building its defence base. Industry reports cited alongside the discussion show that indigenous defence production has climbed sharply over the past decade, while exports have risen to a much wider set of markets. Janes reported that defence output reached ₹1.78 trillion in fiscal 2025-26, up 15.6% from the previous year, and other industry summaries say exports have expanded to more than 80 countries as policy reforms have encouraged domestic manufacturing.
Mahajan said a stronger domestic defence ecosystem reduces dependence on foreign suppliers and improves national security as well as industrial capability. That view is consistent with the wider policy push described in sector reports, which point to higher capital spending, the Defence Acquisition Procedure and Positive Indigenisation Lists as key drivers of local production, alongside rising participation from private companies, start-ups and research institutions.
On the farm side, Aditya Sesh, a chartered accountant associated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, said recent free trade agreements could open new outlets for Indian produce, especially millets. He highlighted bajra, jowar and ragi as crops that use less water, store well and offer strong nutritional value, making them suitable both for domestic consumption and for export-oriented processed foods. He also said rising demand has pushed millet prices higher this year, underlining the crop’s commercial potential.
Sesh also pointed to Maharashtra as an important agricultural hub because of its varied climate and the scope it offers for grains, fruit and vegetables. He said geographical indication tags and the One District One Product programme can help farmers command better prices. On energy, he warned that relying on one fuel source leaves the economy vulnerable to supply shocks and geopolitical strain. He urged wider use of ethanol-blended fuel and more investment in solar, wind, hydrogen and nuclear power, arguing that a diversified energy mix is essential to long-term sovereignty and stability.
The report also reflected confidence among traders in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, who welcomed Narendra Modi’s announced “Saptadhara” framework as a possible roadmap for growth. Local business owners said the focus on manufacturing, agriculture, technology, infrastructure, defence, the green-blue economy and soft power could support investment and jobs, provided lower-cost raw materials and better local implementation follow. Their comments suggest that the self-reliance debate is moving beyond policy slogans towards questions of supply chains, prices and execution on the ground.
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