The Defence Ministry has moved to open up the production of missiles, artillery shells, and ammunition to the private sector, marking a major reform under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

This policy shift aims to ensure that India does not face critical shortages of firepower during long-term hostilities and aligns with the country’s ambition to achieve greater self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

According to official sources, an amendment has been made to the Revenue Procurement Manual (RPM) that eliminates the previous requirement for private entities intending to manufacture bombs or ammunition to secure a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the state-owned Munitions India Limited (MIL). This legal and procedural change effectively removes a key entry barrier for private defence firms, allowing them to set up ammunition production units independently.

Under the new policy, private companies will now be permitted to manufacture a wide range of ammunition types including 105 mm, 130 mm, and 150 mm artillery shells, Pinaka rockets, 1,000-pound general-purpose bombs, mortar bombs, hand grenades, as well as medium and small calibre rounds. The reform is meant to rapidly expand domestic production capacities and diversify supply channels to the armed forces.

In parallel, the Defence Ministry has formally communicated to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) that private industry participation will now extend to missile development and integration.

This marks a significant evolution in India’s defence industrial policy, which had previously restricted missile manufacturing to government-owned firms such as Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). These companies are currently responsible for producing India’s existing range of missiles, including the Akash, Astra, Konkurs, and Milan, as well as advanced torpedoes.

The decision is heavily influenced by operational lessons from Operation Sindoor, during which the Indian armed forces recognised the increasing dominance of stand-off precision weapons and long-range conventional missiles. The operation demonstrated that modern conflict requires overwhelming missile-based capability rather than reliance solely on manned fighter platforms.

India’s policymakers also note that during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan employed long-range Chinese air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, highlighting the urgent need for India to expand its own domestic inventory. While strategic missile programs—those with nuclear deterrence roles—will remain under DRDO control, the conventional category will be open to private firms. This category includes systems such as BrahMos, Nirbhay, Pralay, and Shaurya, which will form the backbone of India’s future stand-off strike capability.

The growing importance of sophisticated anti-missile systems was underscored during Operation Sindoor, when India’s S-400 air defence system reportedly neutralised a Pakistan ELINT (Electronic Intelligence) aircraft deep inside Pakistani Punjab, approximately 314 kilometres across the border. This episode emphasised that future air dominance will depend less on traditional dogfighting aircraft and more on advanced missile networks and over-the-horizon interception capability.

The Ministry’s move is also driven by global supply constraints stemming from ongoing conflicts such as the Ukraine war and the Israel-Gaza conflict, both of which have triggered surging international demand for missiles and artillery ammunition. In contrast, Pakistan has maintained consistent supplies through China, prompting India to ensure it has a robust, self-sufficient industrial base capable of sustaining prolonged warfare without dependence on foreign vendors.

The overarching aim is twofold: to guarantee uninterrupted availability of ammunition and missiles for the armed forces and to foster a competitive ecosystem for indigenous private-sector defence manufacturers. By reducing dependence on state-run units and foreign imports, India seeks to protect its long-term security interests while stimulating innovation and production capacity across the nation’s defence industrial sector.

Agencies