Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday called for faster modernisation of the armed forces, stronger tri-service integration, and greater reliance on indigenous defence technologies, stressing that India must build a technologically empowered military to meet emerging security challenges.
Chairing a meeting of the Ministry of Defence’s Consultative Committee on Modernisation of Indian Defence Forces in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, Singh outlined the government’s priorities across capability development, technology, self-reliance and human capital.
“We aim to achieve defence production worth Rs 3 lakh crore and defence exports worth Rs 50,000 crore by 2029,” he said, highlighting the expanding role of domestic industry in strengthening India’s military capabilities.
Singh said defence production rose from Rs 46,429 crore in 2014-15 to a record Rs 1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26, while exports grew from less than Rs 2,000 crore in 2014 to about Rs 40,000 crore.
The defence budget for 2026-27 has been increased to a record Rs 7.85 lakh crore, including a capital outlay of Rs 2.19 lakh crore for modernisation and procurement, he said. Effective utilisation of resources and prioritisation of critical operational requirements would remain essential.
Technology and jointness at the core
The deliberations focused on accelerating the induction of next-generation platforms and weapon systems, strengthening joint operational planning among the three Services and exploiting emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, unmanned platforms, cyber, space and electronic warfare.
Singh stressed that modern warfare was increasingly technology-driven and called for closer collaboration among the armed forces, DRDO, defence public sector undertakings, private industry, start-ups and academic institutions to translate research and innovation into operational capabilities.
He said the government was creating a level playing field for private industry, including MSMEs and large corporations, as part of a whole-of-nation approach to defence preparedness.
Emphasising the importance of human capital, Singh said military strength depended not merely on technology and financial resources but also on the preparedness and capabilities of personnel.
He cited the Indian Army’s new formations, including Asani, Bhairav and Shaktiban platoons, as examples of efforts to adapt organisational structures to contemporary battlefield requirements.
MPs call for actionable modernisation roadmap
Members of Parliament from the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha offered suggestions during the meeting, contributing legislative and strategic perspectives to the deliberations.
The discussions emphasised prioritising critical capabilities, improving coordination among stakeholders, streamlining acquisition and development processes and periodically assessing progress against defined objectives.
Singh said modernisation was a continuous process requiring sustained investment in research and development, indigenous technologies and industrial participation. The broader objective, he said, was to develop long-term capabilities and strategic autonomy while preparing the armed forces for conventional, sub-conventional and multi-domain threats.
The meeting underscored the need to move beyond procurement towards a sustained process of capability development, operational preparedness and technological self-reliance.
Team BharatShakti
