New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): India’s defence sector has undergone a major transformation over the previous 12 years, with the federal government specializing in strengthening defence diplomacy, boosting indigenous manufacturing, modernising navy capabilities and increasing strategic partnerships internationally.
India’s defence diplomacy has emerged as a key pillar of nationwide safety and strategic affect within the final decade, with New Delhi increasing ties with main international powers whereas sustaining its strategic autonomy.
Over the previous decade, defence cooperation has moved past conventional navy exchanges to incorporate know-how collaboration, industrial partnerships and joint manufacturing initiatives. India has additionally elevated its participation in regional and multilateral safety platforms such because the Quad, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).
According to a authorities assertion, these engagements display India’s rising strategic confidence and its emergence as a accountable safety associate in an more and more complicated geopolitical setting.
India’s defence relationship with the United States deepened by way of a collection of key agreements, together with the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018 and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) in 2020.
India was additionally designated as a Major Defence Partner by the US and granted Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) standing.
The two nations expanded cooperation in rising applied sciences by way of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), launched in 2023 and later continued beneath the TRUST framework in 2025.
In October 2025, India and the US signed a 10-year defence partnership framework geared toward strengthening joint workout routines, know-how collaboration and Indo-Pacific safety cooperation.
India additionally maintained robust defence ties with Russia regardless of altering geopolitical circumstances. The partnership stays anchored within the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation and continues to give attention to initiatives such because the S-400 air defence system and upgrades to Su-30MKI fighter plane. The partnership has more and more shifted in the direction of co-production, know-how collaboration and expanded upkeep and restore capabilities inside India.
A serious milestone in India’s engagement with Europe got here in January 2026, when India and the European Union signed a Security and Defence Partnership overlaying maritime safety, cyber defence, counter-terrorism and house cooperation.
Defence cooperation with France continued to deepen by way of initiatives such because the Rafale fighter plane programme and the Kalvari-class Scorpene submarines. The sixth submarine beneath Project 75 was commissioned in January 2025. Cooperation has additionally expanded into aerospace manufacturing and engine know-how improvement by way of partnerships involving Indian and French firms.
India strengthened defence relations with Japan by way of logistics help agreements and naval workout routines, whereas ties with the United Arab Emirates developed right into a broader strategic partnership overlaying defence business collaboration, particular operations and counter-terrorism. Defence engagement with Australia additionally expanded following the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
At the multilateral degree, India has used boards such because the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to advocate a robust counter-terrorism agenda. During the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao in June 2025, India reiterated its coverage of zero tolerance in the direction of terrorism and known as for collective motion towards weapons of mass destruction threats.
India’s engagement with ASEAN nations additionally grew beneath the Act East Policy. Cooperation with nations reminiscent of Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia expanded by way of capacity-building initiatives, patrol vessel gifting and BrahMos missile-related collaboration.
The Quad has emerged as one other main platform for India’s strategic outreach.
India’s position throughout the grouping has strengthened by way of initiatives such because the Malabar naval train and the Quad-at-Sea Mission in 2025, which marked the primary mixed Coast Guard train amongst all 4 members.
The report highlighted India’s rising position within the Indo-Pacific area by way of its SAGAR imaginative and prescient and the MAHASAGAR doctrine launched in March 2025. These initiatives search to place India as a internet safety supplier throughout the Indian Ocean Region by way of naval presence, capacity-building efforts and multilateral engagement.
Alongside defence diplomacy, India has accelerated efforts to construct indigenous navy capabilities.
India demonstrated its rising technological capabilities by way of Mission Shakti in 2019, which showcased anti-satellite weapon functionality, and Mission Divyastra in 2024, which concerned the profitable testing of a long-range missile able to carrying a number of warheads, thus demonstrating India’s Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV).
Indigenous programs together with Akash air defence missiles, BrahMos missiles, anti-drone programs and airborne surveillance platforms had been deployed throughout Operation Sindoor. In August 2025, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) additionally examined a sophisticated air defence system integrating missile interceptors, short-range air defence weapons and laser-based applied sciences.
The report highlighted progress in next-generation applied sciences, together with the induction of the indigenous Tejas fighter plane, the Arjun Mk-IA battle tank and the introduction of 75 Artificial Intelligence-based defence functions in 2022.
India additionally made advances in hypersonic missile know-how. On January 9, earlier this yr, DRDO efficiently carried out a long-duration floor check of an actively cooled scramjet combustor, a key step in the direction of growing future hypersonic weapons.
A brand new Hypersonic Wind Tunnel has additionally been established in Hyderabad to help these efforts.
The assertion additionally underlined the significance of the Agnipath Scheme, launched on June 15, 2022, to create a youthful and extra technology-orientated navy power. Under the scheme, Agniveers obtain navy coaching, ability improvement and academic alternatives, whereas additionally receiving nationally recognised ability certifications.
Summing up India’s progress, the assertion added, ‘India’s defence journey over the previous twelve years displays greater than navy modernisation. It marks the rise of a nation decided to safe its future by way of indigenous energy.’
It added that, ‘India is now seen as a reputable defence associate, dependable safety supplier, and rising defence manufacturing hub.’
The assertion stated that as India strikes in the direction of its 2047 objectives, defence preparedness will more and more be pushed by innovation, resilience and self-reliance, with the muse laid over the previous decade anticipated to strengthen the nation’s position in shaping the long run international safety order.
India’s annual defence manufacturing additionally reached an all-time excessive of Rs 1.78 lakh crore within the monetary yr 2025-26, registering a 15.6 per cent improve over the earlier yr and a 110 per cent rise since 2020-21.
Higher indigenous manufacturing, higher personal sector participation, and rising defence exports all contributed to the expansion.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday welcomed the achievement and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s management and the efforts of stakeholders throughout the defence sector for the milestone.
In a publish on X, Singh stated, ‘Under the inspiring management of PM Shri @narendramodi, India’s defence manufacturing is reaching new heights yearly. I’m delighted to tell everybody that India’s annual defence manufacturing has surged to an all-time excessive of Rs 1.78 lakh crore within the Financial Year (FY) 2025-26.’
According to the Ministry of Defence, the most recent determine marks a 15.6 per cent improve over the earlier monetary yr’s output of Rs 1.54 lakh crore. It additionally represents a 110 per cent rise since FY 2020-21, when defence manufacturing stood at Rs 84,643 crore. Indigenous defence manufacturing has elevated practically fourfold from Rs 43,746 crore recorded in FY 2013-14.
MoD stated Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and different public sector models accounted for about 76 per cent of the overall manufacturing throughout FY 2025-26, whereas the personal sector contributed 24 per cent. The personal sector’s share rose from 22 per cent in FY 2024-25 and reached an all-time excessive of round Rs 42,000 crore, reflecting its rising position within the nation’s defence manufacturing ecosystem.
The progress in home defence manufacturing has additionally contributed to a file efficiency in defence exports. India recorded defence exports value Rs 38,424 crore throughout FY 2025-26, the very best ever, the MoD added.
The Ministry additional acknowledged that the achievement displays the rising momentum of the federal government’s push for self-reliance in defence manufacturing beneath the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Highlighting the speedy enlargement of the sector, Singh stated, ‘This milestone represents a powerful 15.6% progress over the earlier fiscal yr’s output of Rs 1.54 lakh crore and a staggering 110% improve since FY 2020-21, when the determine stood at Rs 84,643 crore. Indigenous defence manufacturing has elevated practically fourfold from Rs 43,746 crore in FY 2013-14.’
The Defence Minister additionally credited the Department of Defence Production and business stakeholders, each private and non-private, for the sustained rise in output.
‘The outstanding rise in India’s defence manufacturing in recent times is the results of the collective efforts of the Department of Defence Production and all different stakeholders. This upward trajectory is a transparent indicator of the nation’s increasing defence industrial base. With sustained coverage help, a number of new initiatives, elevated personal sector participation, and rising export capabilities, the defence manufacturing sector is poised for continued acceleration within the years forward,’ the Defence Minister added. (ANI)