US-Iran peace efforts: The on-and-off tensions
US-Iran peace efforts: The on-and-off tensions
Making the T-72 future ready
Making the T-72 future ready
The Engine That Will Power India's Stealth Future
The Engine That Will Power India's Stealth Future
India and Australia exercise
India and Australia exercise
Super Sukhoi program
Super Sukhoi program
India & Australia deepening security partnership
India & Australia deepening security partnership
Indian Airforce fighter aircraft: Current combat fleet
Indian Airforce fighter aircraft: Current combat fleet
Distance between Cuba and USA
Distance between Cuba and USA
Cuba Military Strength
Cuba Military Strength
INS Kolkata
INS Kolkata
Aircraft used in Operation Safed Sagar
Aircraft used in Operation Safed Sagar
Challenges IAF faced during Kargil war
Challenges IAF faced during Kargil war
How India's Anti-Drone Systems Works
How India's Anti-Drone Systems Works
Battle tanks operated by India
What is STANAG protection?
BMP-2 vs FICV
Future Infantry Combat Vehicle
What is a crewless Turret?
Attacks on nuclear sites
Major incidents involving Cheetahs in last 10 years
Jaguars: IAF squadrons operating Jaguars
Former operators of the Jaguars
Jaguars3 : aircraft that use the MB ejection seat
Pakistan’s nuclear capable missiles
Advantages of low‑cost munitions
India’s nuclear arsenal
Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal
America’s arsenal for round 2 of Op epic fury
America’s arsenal for round 2 of Op epic fury2
Lost potential of India’s first indigenous fighter
Key security dialogues between India & South Korea
Deadliest airshows: Ejection Sequence
Deadliest airshows
Smiling Buddha: India's first nuclear test
DRDO team for operation 'Smiling Buddha'
How Operation 'Smiling Buddha' was conducted
How Operation 'Smiling Buddha' was conducted
Team behind success of 'Smiling Buddha'
Cost of operation 'Epic Fury'
What is MIRV technology
Agni missile series
Agni missile series
Two stage missle and Three stage missile
Agni missile series
What is solid fuel
India's defence expenditure
India aims to raise defence spending from average 2% of GDP to 2.5% by FY2031, according to the government’s stated direction. In FY2027, the Union Budget has pegged defence capex at about Rs 22 lakh crore, up 18% from FY2026 revised estimates.
Atmanirbhar defence
Positive Indigenisation Lists have banned imports of hundreds of defence items, including small arms, artillery shells and rockets, to push local manufacturing. Around 75% of defence procurement is now expected to come from the domestic market, while the private sector has been assigned a larger role. FDI rules have also been liberalised, with up to 74% allowed automatically in most defence subsectors.
Big defence export deals
Two defence industrial corridors, in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, are being developed to attract investment and strengthen production ecosystems. iDEX, the defence innovation programme, continues to support startups and technology firms working on next-generation military solutions.
India's defence production
The policy push is already producing measurable results. Indigenous defence production reached about ₹15 lakh crore in FY2025, while defence exports rose sharply to about ₹3.84 lakh crore, up 63% year on year.
Major platforms and systems such as BrahMos, Tejas fighter jet and the Akash missile system have become symbols of India’s growing ability to produce advanced equipment at home.
Mega defence deals: Co-production and fast-track buying
India is using a dual approach. On one side, it is accelerating emergency purchases where quick delivery is essential. On the other, it is pursuing co-development and co-production with foreign partners. The logic is practical. India may not be able to indigenise every subsystem immediately, so it is trying to absorb technology through partnerships while building local capacity over time. Joint production efforts, such as work on jet engine technologies, reflect this strategy. This is a significant change from the older approach, which often relied on one-off imports with limited technology transfer. The new model is more deliberate: buy, learn, produce and scale.
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