Aatmanirbharta in defence is a national imperative, says the defence secretary

NEW DELHI: India is at a decisive moment in its defence and industrial journey, where self-reliance has emerged as a national imperative, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said at the inauguration of the Defence Skilling Conclave on Defence, Aerospace and Strategic Sector Skill Development on Saturday in Chandigarh. Highlighting the transformation of India’s defence industrial ecosystem over the past decade, he said that guided by the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the sector has moved from import dependence to a vibrant ecosystem comprising Defence Public Sector Undertakings, private industry, MSMEs and start-ups.

The Defence Secretary stressed that efforts towards ease of doing business and continued policy reforms have catalysed an indigenous manufacturing surge, encouraging domestic design and production of platforms ranging from UAVs and sensors to complex systems such as artillery guns, armoured vehicles and missiles. He noted that over 788 industrial licences have been issued to 462 companies, significantly boosting private sector participation, while defence exports crossed Rs 23,162 crore in 2025, marking a nearly 35-fold increase since 2014. Singh cited indigenous platforms such as the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Astra Beyond Visual Range Missile, Dhanush artillery guns and INS Vikrant as examples of growing synergy between industry, research and skilled manpower, reiterating that self-reliance in defence is a strategic necessity aimed at achieving long-term autonomy amid evolving global supply chains and rapidly advancing technologies.