Operation Sindoor showcased India’s defence transformation: Rajnath
New Delhi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on July 18 said Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s transformed defence capabilities and highlighted the success of the government’s push for self-reliance in the sector, announcing that a new Positive Indigenisation List would soon be unveiled to further boost indigenous defence manufacturing.
Addressing an event in New Delhi, Singh described Operation Sindoor as a testament to India’s modern military preparedness, asserting that the country’s armed forces had delivered a decisive response to terrorists and their sponsors. He reiterated that the government’s “zero tolerance” policy against terrorism was reflected not merely in words but in action, emphasising that India possessed the capability to strike terrorists wherever they were located.
The Defence Minister said the successful execution of the operation underscored the transformation of India’s defence sector over the past 12 years under the Narendra Modi government. He noted that indigenous systems such as the Akash Teer air defence system, Akash missile system and BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, along with other advanced military platforms, had played an important role during the operation, demonstrating the growing strength of India’s domestic defence industry.
Highlighting the government’s efforts to promote self-reliance, Singh said five Positive Indigenisation Lists issued by the armed forces now cover 509 defence equipment and weapon systems, while five additional lists issued for defence public sector undertakings include 5,012 items. He announced that another Positive Indigenisation List would soon be notified to further accelerate the country’s drive towards defence self-sufficiency.
The Defence Minister said India’s annual defence production had risen from around ₹40,000 crore in 2014 to a record ₹1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26, while defence exports had increased from ₹686 crore to over ₹38,000 crore during the same period. He expressed confidence that defence production would cross ₹2 lakh crore this year and ₹3 lakh crore by 2029, with exports expected to reach ₹50,000 crore by the end of the decade.
Singh said the government had fundamentally changed the country’s approach to defence preparedness by prioritising indigenous manufacturing over imports. He described ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) in defence as one of the Modi government’s most significant reforms, saying India had evolved from being largely dependent on foreign suppliers to becoming an emerging producer of advanced defence systems.
He also highlighted reforms aimed at strengthening defence exports and manufacturing, including the Defence EXIM Portal, online approval mechanisms, the Open General Export Licence, simplified quality certification procedures, the Green Channel policy and self-certification. Singh said the defence industrial corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu had attracted proposed investments of about ₹70,000 crore, of which nearly ₹10,000 crore had already been invested, generating employment and integrating Indian companies into global supply chains.
On defence procurement, the Minister said 75 percent of the capital acquisition budget had been earmarked for purchases from Indian industry. He added that the revised Defence Acquisition Procedure, expected to be released later this year, would further strengthen domestic defence manufacturing by giving greater preference to indigenously designed, developed and manufactured equipment.
Emphasising the role of innovation, Singh said government initiatives such as Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), iDEX Prime and the ADITI scheme had significantly expanded opportunities for start-ups and MSMEs. He noted that over 2,000 defence startups are now operating in the country, with 676 innovators participating in the iDEX programme and 551 contracts signed as of March 2026. Procurement worth more than ₹2,400 crore has also been approved from startups and MSMEs, while technology development projects exceeding ₹1,500 crore have been sanctioned.
The Defence Minister said India was increasingly emerging as a credible global security partner, with its defence diplomacy expanding beyond strategic cooperation to include industrial collaboration, technology partnerships and integration into global supply chains. Referring to Prime Minister Modi’s recent visits to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, Singh said the engagements had further strengthened India’s diplomatic, strategic and defence partnerships across the Indo-Pacific region.
Concluding his address, Singh reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building an ‘Aatmanirbhar’ (Self-reliant) and Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047, saying the objective was to equip India’s armed forces with indigenous technologies while fostering innovation, strengthening domestic industry and positioning the country as a modern, reliable and self-reliant global defence power.
