After Operation Sindoor, India’s Defence Sector Turns to Its Small Manufacturers

New Delhi, May 12, 2026. A year after Operation Sindoor put India’s indigenous weapons systems through live operational deployment, the country’s defence establishment and leading global manufacturers gathered in Mumbai with a clear message for small industry: the opportunities are real, procurement pipelines are opening up, and Indian MSMEs must position themselves now to become part of the defence supply chain.

The seminar, “Atmanirbharta in Defence – Opportunities for MSMEs,” organised by the Bramha Research Foundation with support from the Indian Navy, brought together senior military leadership, policymakers and industry executives to discuss how small and medium enterprises can participate in a defence procurement ecosystem projected to exceed Rs 10 lakh crore over the coming decade.

Maharashtra Minister Ashish Shelar inaugurated the seminar as Chief Guest. Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit delivered the inaugural keynote address, while Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan recently named the next Chief of Naval Staff made his first public appearance in that capacity during a special keynote session.

Addressing participants, Vice Admiral Anukul Sharma outlined Indian Navy procurement opportunities worth nearly Rs. 3 lakh crore where MSMEs could play a critical role through component manufacturing, systems integration and technology partnerships.

Representatives from L&T Defence, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Safran India and TKMS India detailed vendor onboarding processes and supplier opportunities linked to major domestic and international defence programmes.

A dedicated session on defence financing featured Admiral Hari Kumar alongside fund managers from HDFC AMC and Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC. The discussion focused on addressing the capital constraints that have historically limited the ability of smaller manufacturers to scale within the defence ecosystem.

Paresh Page said Operation Sindoor — which saw the operational deployment of systems such as BrahMos missile, Nagastra and Akashteer — had strengthened the case for indigenous capability development and resilient domestic supply chains.

A commemorative book on Atmanirbharta in Defence was also released during the seminar to mark the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor.