Domestic defence production hits ₹1.51 lakh crore: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said India is witnessing a paradigm shift in defence manufacturing, from being an import-dependent nation to an emerging producer-exporter. Singh said the country once lacked a robust system to manufacture arms and equipment domestically, but sustained efforts over the last decade have reversed that situation. He stated ‘Due to our hard work in the last 10 years, our defence production, which was around ₹46,000 crore in 2014, has now grown to a record ₹1.51 lakh crore. Our defence exports, which were less than ₹1,000 crore 10 years ago, have now reached nearly ₹24,000 crore.’

Further, he, on December 07, 2025, dedicated to the nation 125 strategically significant infrastructure projects of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) - the most to have ever been inaugurated simultaneously - from Ladakh. Spread across 02 Union Territories - Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir - and 07 States - Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal & Mizoram, these projects - 28 Roads, 93 Bridges and 04 Miscellaneous - have been completed at a cost of approx. ₹5,000 crore, the highest-value inaugurations in the BRO’s history.

These upgraded infrastructure projects will significantly improve last-mile connectivity to remote villages and forward military locations, bringing these areas closer to the national mainstream. He said the projects as a testament to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led Government’s unwavering commitment to keep strengthening the border infrastructure in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat. Moreover, he pointed out that in the financial year 2024-25, BRO incurred a record expenditure of ₹16,690 crore, the highest ever, and a target of ₹18,700 crore has been set for FY 2025-26, which underlines the government's confidence in BRO's capabilities.