In an achievement underlining India’s strategic confidence and technological capabilities, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that India’s defence exports hit a record $2.8 billion (₹25,000 crore) in 2025, a steep rise from just $118 million (₹1,000 crore) a few years back.

This marks a milestone in India’s journey from a major arms importer to an emerging global defence manufacturing and exporting power.​

This phenomenal growth is the result of a decade-long push under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) vision. The government’s consistent policies have emphasised indigenisation, encouraging the private sector, and modernising public enterprises, which have together fostered innovation and growth. 

The defence production value reached ₹1,50,590 crore (approx. $18.3 billion) in 2024-25, 18% higher than the previous year, demonstrating a strengthening domestic base.​

The Defence Minister inaugurated new production lines at HAL’s Nashik campus, marking the start of expanded manufacturing for the indigenously developed TEJAS MK-1A fighter and the HTT-40 trainer aircraft.

The Nashik facility, once known for assembling Soviet-era MiG jets, is now a modern aerospace hub producing Sukhoi Su-30MKI jets alongside indigenous platforms, symbolising India’s transition to modern defence manufacturing.​

The TEJAS MK-1A is a 4.5-generation multi-role fighter with advanced avionics, radar, and in-flight refuelling. It enhances India’s ability to perform air defence, ground attack, and maritime strike missions. Meanwhile, the HTT-40 trainer is a world-class basic trainer developed to meet the Indian Air Force’s evolving needs. These aircraft exemplify the growing technological maturity across India’s aviation sector.​

HAL’s latest contract includes production of 97 TEJAS MK-1A fighter aircraft, backed by 113 GE F404 engines scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2032. This production ramp-up will improve delivery times to the Indian Air Force, boost export potential, and strengthen the local defence industrial ecosystem, including MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises).​

India’s defence exports now reach over 85 countries worldwide, including major buyers such as the USA, France, and Armenia. The export portfolio includes not only aircraft but advanced radar systems, coastal surveillance, offshore patrol vessels, and armoured vehicles.

This breadth reflects India’s expanding capability and global trust in its defence products. The government’s facilitative policies—such as simplified export licensing, defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, and active diplomatic promotion of exports—have boosted this international presence.​

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh set ambitious goals: achieving $34 billion (₹3 lakh crore) in domestic defence manufacturing and $5.7 billion (₹50,000 crore) in defence exports by 2029.

These targets underscore India’s strategic commitment to sustain and expand its defence manufacturing base, positioning itself among the world’s top defence producers.​

The growth of the defence sector fuels wider economic benefits, generating skilled employment, supporting local supply chains, and stimulating innovation across sectors including electronics, materials science, and artificial intelligence.

The TEJAS and HTT-40 programs are expected to inspire further advances in next-generation technologies, including unmanned systems and space-based defence platforms, strengthening India’s security and technological autonomy.​

India has made a remarkable leap from an import-dependent defence economy into a self-reliant manufacturer and rising global exporter. This shift, driven by innovation, policy support, and capacity building at institutions like HAL Nashik, marks a defining moment in India’s strategic and industrial trajectory.

The soaring flights of indigenous aircraft reflect not just technical accomplishment but a nation’s aspirations for security, sovereignty, and global stature.​

IDN (With Agency Inputs)