Military modernisation and future-ready defence sector is govt's top priority: Rajnath Singh (Photo: Rajnath Singh's X account)
New Delhi, August 14 (IANS): According highest priority to the modernisation of the defence forces, driven by a self-reliant and future-ready defence sector is the first and foremost priority of the Narendra Modi government, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday told the Armed Forces on the eve of 80th Independence Day.
Addressing the soldiers through Akashvani ahead of the Independence Day, the Defence Minister said that India's defence sector has come a long way in the past 12 years, due to initiatives like 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Make-in-India'.
Asserting rising influence of the Indian military power, Rajnath Singh added that today India has become a nation which is not just catering to its own security needs but also emerging as a global defence manufacturing hub and a net defence exporter.
The Defence Minister emphasised that the domestic defence production, which stood at just Rs 46,000 crore in 2014, has skyrocketed to a record Rs 1.78 lakh crore in the Financial Year (FY) 2025-26, registering nearly four-fold increase over the last decade.
"This achievement is a testament to the structural changes that have taken place in the defence sector," he said.
He added that Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and other public sector entities accounted for nearly 76 per cent of total defence production, with the private sector contributing 24 per cent, up from 22 per cent in the previous fiscal year.
He also told that the defence exports, which stood at a mere Rs 686 crore in FY 2013-14, surged to an all-time high of Rs 38,424 crore in FY 2025-26, an increase of more than 5,500 per cent.
He described the feat as the most compelling evidence of 'Aatmanirbharta' in the defence sector.
"Today, India has 145 defence exporters, and our products are being exported to over 80 countries. I am confident that we will achieve our defence exports target of Rs 50,000 crore by 2029," Rajnath Singh said.
He also pointed out the rise in defence budget from Rs 2.53 lakh crore in FY 2013-14 to Rs 7.85 lakh crore in FY 2026-27.
"Capital expenditure has grown from Rs 94,588 crore to Rs 2.19 lakh crore. Our focus on Research and Development (R&D) has also intensified. The R&D budget, which stood at Rs 15,283 crore in FY 2014-15, has increased by 90 per cent to Rs 29,100 crore in FY 2026-27," Rajnath Singh said.
The Defence Minister went to reiterate the Union government's commitment towards welfare of serving and retired defence forces personnel as well as their families.
"Over the past five years, there has been a 300 per cent increase in the budget of the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme. Furthermore, under the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund, the Penury Grant has been doubled from Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000, the Education Grant from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 and the Marriage Grant from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000. These decisions demonstrate our commitment to the welfare of our soldiers and their Next-of-Kin," Rajnath Singh said.
