India could reach its Rs50,000 crore defence export goal by 2028, nearly two years earlier than planned, as overseas demand for Indian military hardware accelerates, driven by competitive pricing and expanded industrial capacity.
India could reach its Rs50,000 crore defence export goal by 2028, almost two years earlier than the government’s formal deadline, according to Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, who said overseas demand for Indian military hardware is strengthening. Speaking at a Public Affairs Forum of India conference, Singh pointed to the pace of recent orders as evidence that the country’s defence sector is scaling up faster than anticipated.
He said India received about Rs38,000 crore in orders in the past year, while annual defence exports rose to a record Rs38,424 crore in 2025-26, up sharply from Rs686 crore in 2013-14. The figures underscore how quickly a once modest export line has expanded into a significant part of India’s industrial strategy, driven by a broader push to build domestic capacity and sell more equipment abroad.
Singh said India’s pricing advantage is a key factor, particularly in missiles, where he said Indian systems can cost roughly a quarter of comparable foreign products. He also argued that the country needs a wider industrial base, including at least two or three fighter aircraft production lines, about half a dozen missile makers and hundreds of drone manufacturers. Reuters reported that the government is also opening ammunition and propellant production to more private firms in an effort to reduce reliance on a single state-owned enterprise.
The Defence Secretary said the export push is about more than sales alone. According to his remarks, overseas contracts can create longer-term defence ties through maintenance, spare parts and other support services, while also bringing in foreign exchange and supporting jobs at home. He added that India’s expanding manufacturing base should help it move into larger platform programmes, including the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, for which three shortlisted companies have already submitted proposals. Newkerala reported that missiles, artillery and the Akash air defence system are among the products attracting strong foreign interest, while other reports say Indian defence goods are now reaching more than 100 countries.
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