India’s defence budget up 2.6 times in a decade, says Defence Ministry
‘Make in India’ & liberalised FDI norms enhanced domestic manufacturing capabilities
A fleet of Indian Navy warships at sea. (Photo:@indiannavy/X)
New Delhi, May 13: India’s annual defence budget has increased 2.6 times from Rs 2.53 lakh crore in 2013-14 to Rs 6.81 lakh crore in 2025-26, according to a Ministry of Defence statement.
“Strategic reforms, private sector participation and innovation have boosted indigenous manufacturing, making India self-reliant and a globally trusted defence exporter while strengthening national security and economic growth,” the statement added.
The collaboration between the government and private sector entities in India’s defence sector has driven advancements in arms and ammunition, aerospace, electronics, and naval technologies.
This collaboration has been supported by policies such as “Make in India” and liberalised FDI norms, which have enhanced domestic manufacturing capabilities, attracted international investments in defence innovation and driven notable growth in exports of military equipment, the report points out.
In a major milestone for India's defence sector, Kamikaze drones co-developed by Adani Group’s Alpha Design Technologies and Israel’s Elbit Systems were also successfully deployed in Operation Sindoor.
Built in Bengaluru under the “Make in India” initiative, the SkyStriker drones deliver precision strikes with up to 2-hour loitering capability. This marks a leap forward in India’s self-reliance in advanced defence technology.
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the effectiveness of Made in India defence equipment was decisively proven during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan.
“The world is now witnessing the arrival of Made in India defence systems as a formidable force in 21st-century warfare, PM Modi said in his address to the nation.
He highlighted how this aggression exposed Pakistan’s vulnerabilities, as its drones and missiles “crumbled like straw” before India’s advanced air defence systems, which neutralised them in the sky.
PM Modi pointed out that Indian drones and missiles executed highly accurate strikes, severely damaging Pakistani airbases that it had long boasted about.
Earlier on Monday, DG Air Operations, Air Marshal AK Bharti, during a DGMO briefing on Operation Sindoor, had credited government support over the past decade for strengthening India’s air defences, creating an “impregnable shield” that successfully repelled Pakistani attacks.
--IANS