11 June, 2025:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 11 years in office, highlighted the government's strong push for the ‘Make in India’ initiative in defence production, noting that Indian military equipment is now being used by armed forces in nearly 100 countries.
Singh said, "The government's persistent efforts are bearing fruit as the annual defence production, which was around Rs 40,000 crore in 2014, has crossed the record figure of Rs 1.30 lakh crore, and defence exports, which were Rs 686 crore in 2014, skyrocketed to Rs 23,622 crore in FY 2024-25,"
"We have set a target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore defence production this year and Rs three lakh crore by 2029. Our defence exports should reach Rs 30,000 crore this year and Rs 50,000 crore by 2029," he further stated.
Rajnath Singh also praised the government’s efforts in strengthening national security. He stated, "In the last 11 years, the Narendra Modi-led government has transformed India’s security framework by altering both the mindset and approach towards every national security issue. This shift was clearly demonstrated to the world during Operation Sindoor."
In a post on X, the union minister emphasised how these year represent India's progress towards autonomy, strength and international strategic prominence.
Singh stated, "In the last 11 years, under the bold and visionary leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi, India's defence sector has transformed remarkably from a largely import-driven model to becoming a trusted global exporter."
“In the #11YearsOfRakshaShakti, India’s defence sector has undergone a historic transformation under PM Shri Narendra Modi’s inspiring leadership which has resulted into stronger borders, modern armed forces, indigenous weapons, record defence exports and global trust. A proud stride towards self-reliance,” Singh further said.
Further, Rajnath Singh listed out the steps taken by the Government to strengthen the defence sector, including increasing the defence budget from Rs 2.53 lakh crore in Financial Year (FY) 2013-14 to Rs 6,22 lakh crore in FY 2024-25; reserving 75% of the budget for capital procurement from domestic companies and the issuance of a total of 10 Positive Indigenisation Lists, comprising over 5,500 items.
