Make in India Transforms Defence Production Sector
New Delhi: India’s defence production sector has undergone a massive transformation with the launch of the “Make in India” campaign, aimed at boosting the manufacturing industry. With the implementation of new strategies and policies, India’s defence production has seen substantial growth. For the year 2023-24, defence production has reached ₹1,27,264 crore, marking a growth of 32.5% over the previous year’s ₹96,000 crore. This surge in domestic defence production has positioned India as a key player in the global defence market.
Over the past ten years, the value of defence production has increased by 175%, compared to ₹46,429 crore in 2014-15. India’s aim is to further elevate this figure to ₹1,75,000 crore by the year 2024-25. In addition, the country's defence exports have also reached new heights, registering an increase of nearly 10 times over the last decade.
Remarkable Growth in Defence Manufacturing
The focus of the Modi government has been to make the nation self-reliant in defence production. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted that over the past ten years, defence manufacturing and exports have shown unprecedented growth. The current strategy is to manufacture at least 29 categories of defence equipment domestically, ensuring that dependence on imports is minimized.
Impressive Figures in Defence Production
- Ten-year Defence Production Growth: The sector has grown threefold in terms of production and investment, seeing a 21-fold increase in exports.
- Target for 2029: The goal is to take defence production to ₹5 lakh crore by 2029.
- Achieving Self-reliance: Currently, only 35% of defence equipment is imported. Rajnath Singh also mentioned that by 2029, the defence imports will be reduced further, and the production value will increase to ₹5 lakh crore.
Table: Transformation in Defence Production (in crore rupees)
|
Fiscal Year |
Defence Production (₹) |
|
2014-15 |
46,429 |
|
2015-16 |
52,968 |
|
2016-17 |
74,054 |
|
2017-18 |
78,820 |
|
2018-19 |
81,120 |
|
2019-20 |
79,071 |
|
2020-21 |
84,643 |
|
2021-22 |
95,000 |
|
2022-23 |
1,08,684 |
|
2023-24 |
1,27,264 |
Future Roadmap
With the implementation of the Make in India initiative, India aims to enhance the research and development capabilities of the defence sector, collaborating with key players like Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), and large corporates like Tata, Mahindra, and others.
The government has also been pushing for research and development in the defence sector to promote indigenous manufacturing. The defence production sector now encompasses a wide range of state-of-the-art technologies, including night vision devices, drones, and bulletproof vehicles, many of which are being manufactured in India for the first time. The “Make in India” initiative is proving to be a game-changer for India’s defence production, significantly reducing dependency on imports.
