Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the armed forces have been given both the freedom and resources to respond decisively to threats, including the ability to strike adversaries inside their own territory, asserting that terrorism against India would be met with a “befitting response”.
Addressing an event in New Delhi, Singh said India believes in peace and does not seek war or the territory of any other country, but stressed that there is a clear distinction between peace and weakness.
“We’ve made it clear that if any country promotes terrorism against India, there will be no dialogue; instead, our defence forces will deliver a befitting response,” he said.
Referring to the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said adversaries had attempted to undermine India by misleading youth, funding anti-India activities, promoting violence and terrorism and creating divisions in society. He said the government had countered these efforts through rehabilitation and de-radicalisation programmes, bringing misguided youth into the mainstream and creating employment and business opportunities.
Singh said Jammu and Kashmir had witnessed significant progress since the abrogation of Article 370, with new avenues opening up for the region’s youth.
He cited the Surgical Strikes, Balakot Airstrike and Operation Sindoor as examples of India’s strategy of decisively targeting terrorism and its handlers. He also referred to the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, saying it sent a clear message that “blood and water cannot flow together”.
The Defence Minister said attempts to create social divisions during Operation Sindoor had also been rejected by the people, who demonstrated unity and social harmony.
Focus on future-ready warfare
Singh said the character of warfare was changing rapidly, with space and cyberspace emerging alongside land, air and sea as key domains of conflict. Artificial intelligence, drones, autonomous systems and precision weapons are transforming modern battlefields, he said.
He added that the government was working to make India’s defence strategy and security architecture future-ready, with the objective of developing advanced technologies indigenously.
Singh said India’s defence policy had shifted from a reactive approach to a proactive one. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomacy with India’s entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 2016, which, he said, facilitated efforts to extend the range of the BrahMos missile and contributed to its role during Operation Sindoor.
Defence production rises to ₹1.8 lakh crore
The Defence Minister said government efforts to strengthen border security, modernise the armed forces, increase indigenous production and reform ordnance factories had helped make India more self-reliant in defence.
He said defence production had risen from around ₹40,000 crore before 2014 to approximately ₹1.80 lakh crore, while defence exports had increased 56-fold to more than ₹38,000 crore.
Highlighting India’s indigenous capabilities, Singh listed systems and platforms such as the Akashteer Air Defence Control System, Akash missile, Pinaka rocket launcher, Astra air-to-air missile, Prachand and Dhruv helicopters, Tejas fighter aircraft, Arjun tank and modern drone and counter-drone systems.
He also highlighted the induction of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, and said the country was now pursuing the development of sixth-generation fighter aircraft.
India has set a target of exporting defence equipment worth ₹50,000 crore by 2029, he said.
Singh said all 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings were now operating without losses and were increasing investments in research and development while exploring export opportunities.
India’s defence budget has risen from around ₹2.5 lakh crore 12 years ago to approximately ₹8 lakh crore, he added.
Private sector, startups gaining ground
The Defence Minister said the private sector and MSMEs were playing an increasingly important role in India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem.
More than 16,000 MSMEs are now engaged in defence production, while investment proposals worth around ₹70,000 crore have been received for the Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Nearly ₹10,000 crore of these investments has already been made, he said.
Singh also highlighted initiatives such as iDEX and iDEX-Prime to promote defence innovation, noting that the number of defence startups had grown from a few dozen in 2018 to more than 2,000.
He called on young people to become job creators and innovators and assured them of the Ministry of Defence’s support for promising ideas.
Praising the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Singh said collaboration among industry, academia, startups and scientists was strengthening self-reliance in defence. He described the successful testing of a scramjet combustor in May as an important step towards developing hypersonic missile technology.
He also highlighted the decision to transfer DRDO-developed missile technologies to Indian industry, enabling private companies to manufacture them and helping ensure timely availability of defence equipment to the armed forces.
Strategic autonomy amid global uncertainty
Singh linked national security with economic strength, saying a robust economy was essential for developing modern military capabilities and maintaining strategic autonomy.
Despite global economic uncertainties, India was growing at 7.8 per cent while strengthening supply chains, promoting self-reliance in critical sectors and expanding indigenous manufacturing, he said.
He cited the development of India’s semiconductor ecosystem and the Production Linked Incentive scheme as examples of measures aimed at strengthening economic resilience.
“Amidst geopolitical uncertainties, many nations are being compelled to choose sides or are forced to align with specific blocs. However, India is moving forward with independent agency and strategic autonomy by focusing on its own priorities,” Singh said.
He said India’s growing global standing was also reflected in its initiatives in areas such as International Yoga Day, the revival of Nalanda University, the International Solar Alliance, the Global Biofuels Alliance, the Voice of Global South Summit and MAHASAGAR.
Singh expressed confidence that by 2047, India would not only achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat but also provide global leadership in technology, the economy and defence.
