A twelve-year journey since the launch of Make in India has transformed India’s defence sector, with exports reaching a record ₹38,424 crore in 2025-26 and a burgeoning domestic industry now capable of producing a wide range of military hardware, though reliance on foreign technology remains.
Twelve years after India launched Make in India, the country’s defence manufacturing base has expanded from a system heavily reliant on imports into a far larger domestic industrial network, according to Business Today. Indigenous defence production has risen from ₹43,746 crore in 2013-14 to a record ₹1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26, reflecting a sustained push for self-reliance, greater domestic capacity and deeper private-sector involvement.
That expansion has been matched by a sharp increase in exports. Indian defence sales abroad climbed from ₹686 crore in 2013-14 to ₹38,424 crore in 2025-26, turning India from a largely import-dependent market into a growing supplier of military equipment to more than 80 countries. The Financial Express said the rise has been helped by competitive pricing and demand for systems such as BrahMos and Akash, while industry commentary suggests New Delhi wants to push exports beyond ₹50,000 crore within two years.
The change is visible across much of the armed forces’ equipment base. India now builds combat aircraft, warships, missiles, artillery, helicopters and armoured vehicles, with indigenous platforms including the Tejas light combat aircraft, INS Vikrant aircraft carrier, Akash air-defence system, Pinaka rocket launcher, Astra air-to-air missile, Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, Arjun tank and Prachand light combat helicopter. Government and industry data cited by India Brand Equity Foundation show exports reached a record ₹38,424 crore in 2025-26, while the number of defence industrial licences rose to 834 by March 2026, supporting a wider network of roughly 500 licensed companies, 16 defence public sector undertakings and nearly 17,000 micro, small and medium enterprises.
Private industry has become a much more important part of that ecosystem. Business Today reported that private firms accounted for about 24% of total defence production in 2025-26, or roughly ₹42,000 crore, the highest share so far. Even so, India still depends on foreign suppliers for some of the most sophisticated technologies, including aircraft and naval propulsion systems, advanced engines, specialised sensors and key electronic components. That leaves the country with a stronger industrial base than a decade ago, but not yet full strategic autonomy.
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