Prime Minister Narendra Modi, now India’s second-longest-serving Prime Minister, has fundamentally transformed the nation’s defence sector over his 11-year tenure.

Upon taking office in 2014, Modi identified India’s heavy reliance on imported defence equipment as a critical vulnerability and initiated a strategic shift toward self-reliance through the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) campaign. 

This paradigm shift has seen India emerge among the world’s top 25 arms exporters, with defence exports surging from ₹4,312 crore between 2004 and 2014 to ₹88,319 crore in the 2014–2024 decade—a 21-fold increase. In the past few years alone, India’s cumulative defence exports crossed ₹1 lakh crore, reflecting its expanding influence in the global arms market.

Defence manufacturing has seen exponential growth: India’s annual defence exports soared from ₹686 crore in 2013-14 to a record ₹23,622 crore by FY 2024-25—a staggering 34-fold increase. Cumulatively, the past decade has witnessed exports totalling ₹88,319 crore, compared to ₹4,312 crore in the 2004-14 decade.

This exceptional boom results from proactive policies, incentives for private sector involvement, streamlined export procedures, and a robust push for local R&D and manufacturing.

Key indigenous milestones include:

TEJAS fighter jets
Light Combat Helicopter 'Prachand'
Dhanush and ATAGS indigenous artillery systems
MBT Arjun battle tanks
Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhurv, Rudra Gunship
Light Utility Helicopter
Akash Air Defence Missile System
3D Tactical Control Radar
New-generation naval assets including destroyers, carriers, and submarines

Crucial enablers of this progress have been robust policy reforms, heightened private sector participation, and a focus on research and development. Two dedicated defence corridors, established in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, have successfully attracted private investment and fostered local manufacturing. In a bold move, the government allocated over 70% of the 2024-25 defence procurement budget to indigenous sources, consolidating India’s commitment to homegrown solutions and technology.

Strategically, Modi’s era has been marked by a much more assertive military posture. In response to terrorist attacks—such as those at Pathankot and Uri in 2016—India executed its first cross-border ‘surgical strikes,’ signalling a zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism.

The 2019 Balakot airstrikes, conducted after the Pulwama attack, marked another historic step, being the first Indian airstrike on Pakistani territory since 1971. The pattern continued with Operation Sindoor in May 2025, a sweeping retaliation against terror launchpads across the Line of Control and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following a major terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

These operations, underpinned by improved surveillance, precision-strike capabilities, and integrated warfare technologies, have highlighted dramatic improvements in India’s military readiness and strategic clarity.

Underpinning this transformation is the emergence of a diversified, tech-savvy defence export portfolio—ranging from bulletproof jackets and aircraft to advanced radars and missile systems—now supplied to nearly 80 countries worldwide. The private sector’s role has become dominant, contributing over ₹15,000 crore to export earnings in FY 2024-25 alone.

Modernisation of the armed forces has accelerated with significant acquisitions: Rafale jets, Apache and Chinook helicopters, and S-400 missile systems have entered service, while India gradually phases out the MiG-29 to make way for next-generation AMCA aircraft currently under development.

Concurrently, a major modernisation drive has revamped India’s defence inventory through acquisitions of cutting-edge platforms such as Rafale fighter jets, Apache and Chinook helicopters, and the advanced S-400 missile defence system.

The ongoing phasing out of ageing MiG-29 jets in favour of new-generation platforms, particularly the under-development Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) by HAL and DRDO, indicates a future-oriented approach to capability building.

As Modi marks this historic milestone, India’s defence sector stands not only stronger and more self-sufficient in hardware, but also more confident in strategic direction, technological innovation, and its standing in the global order.

Based On IANS Report