India Achieves Historic Defence Export Milestone with 62.7% Surge
In a landmark achievement aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to establish India as a leading global defence exporter, the nation's military exports have reached an all-time high of Rs 38,424 crore during the financial year 2025-26. This represents a remarkable 62.7 per cent increase compared to the previous fiscal year's figure of Rs 23,622 crore.
Defence Minister Lauds Collaborative Success
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the exceptional performance of the Department of Defence Production, Indian exporters, and all stakeholders involved in this monumental achievement. He emphasized that India is crafting an impressive defence exports success story and advancing steadily toward becoming a global manufacturing hub for defence equipment.
In a social media post, Minister Singh stated, "This substantial jump of Rs 14,802 crore in defence exports reflects the growing global confidence in India's indigenous capabilities and advanced manufacturing strength. With defence public sector undertakings contributing 54.84 per cent and private industry accounting for 45.16 per cent, this milestone demonstrates the power of a collaborative and self-reliant defence ecosystem."
Diverse Range of Exported Defence Systems
The exported weapon systems encompassed a wide array of sophisticated equipment, including:
- High-value missile systems, notably the BrahMos cruise missiles
- Advanced artillery systems and radar technologies
- Sophisticated electronic warfare systems
- Armoured vehicles and mine-protected vehicles
- Dornier-228 aircraft and specialized maritime platforms
- Protective gear such as body armour and bulletproof jackets
Beyond serving as a reliable global partner for systems and subsystems, India has expanded its defence export footprint to over 80 countries as of FY 2025-26. The number of exporters witnessed a significant surge, increasing to 145 from 128, marking a 13.3 per cent rise from the previous fiscal year.
Global Reach and Sectoral Contributions
The United States, France, and Armenia emerged as the top export destinations, while the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Israel, Germany, Belgium, and various African nations have become key partners purchasing Indian armaments.
Defence public sector undertakings experienced an extraordinary export surge of 151 per cent compared to the previous year, while private firms demonstrated their robust presence with a 14 per cent increase. In terms of financial contribution, the private sector accounted for Rs 17,353 crore worth of defence exports, whereas defence PSUs contributed Rs 21,071 crore. Their respective figures in the previous financial year stood at Rs 15,233 crore and Rs 8,389 crore.
This sharp rise, representing an approximate threefold increase over the last five years, underscores the growing global acceptance and demand for Indian-made defence products. The achievement highlights India's strengthening position in the international defence market and its commitment to self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
