Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the defence sector would be a cornerstone of India’s vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047, stressing that technological leadership would play a decisive role in determining strategic advantage in future warfare. Addressing the DRDO-Industry Synergy Meet, ‘Vimarsh 2026’, at DRDO Bhawan in New Delhi, Singh called for closer collaboration between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), industry, start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). He said India’s ambition of becoming a developed nation could not be achieved through economic growth alone and required technological self-reliance, social inclusion, environmental sustainability and strategic security. The Defence Minister described the defence sector as central to achieving these objectives and strengthening India’s position in an increasingly technology-driven security environment.
Singh said India must focus on achieving self-reliance in critical technologies while substantially increasing the indigenous content of defence equipment and systems. He also called for a significant expansion of defence exports and a stronger Indian presence in global supply chains by 2047. "By 2047, we have to achieve self-reliance in critical technologies, significant increase in indigenous content, multi-fold growth in defence exports, and we will have to ensure strong presence of India in global supply chain," he said. The targets outlined by the Defence Minister place technological capability and domestic manufacturing at the centre of India's long-term defence strategy. Greater indigenous capability, he said, would be essential for reducing dependence on external sources while also enabling Indian companies to participate more extensively in international defence and manufacturing ecosystems.
The Defence Minister emphasised that technological advances are increasingly shaping modern warfare and that countries with leadership in critical technologies would have a strategic advantage. This makes the development of indigenous research and innovation capabilities particularly important for India's defence preparedness. Singh's remarks also highlighted the need to build stronger links between institutions involved in defence research and companies involved in developing and manufacturing technologies. Rather than treating research, manufacturing and exports as separate objectives, the government wants the broader defence ecosystem to work across the different stages of technology development and deployment. Such cooperation is expected to help translate research capabilities into usable defence technologies and strengthen India's domestic industrial base.
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Singh said the partnership between DRDO and industry should extend well beyond manufacturing and production. It should cover research, design, testing, certification and the entire manufacturing value chain, he said. Such a broader partnership would allow private companies and other participants in the defence ecosystem to become involved from the early stages of technology development rather than entering the process only at the production stage. The approach would also provide opportunities for Indian companies to contribute to defence innovation and develop capabilities across multiple segments. Singh specifically stressed the importance of integrating MSMEs and start-ups into this ecosystem, indicating that smaller companies and emerging technology firms should have a meaningful role in India's efforts to develop indigenous defence capabilities.
The emphasis on start-ups and MSMEs comes as India seeks to expand the number of participants involved in defence research, manufacturing and innovation. Singh's call for greater collaboration between these entities and DRDO reflects the government's focus on building a broader and more interconnected defence industrial ecosystem. Such an ecosystem would bring together established companies, smaller manufacturers, emerging technology firms and government research institutions. By encouraging collaboration across these groups, India aims to develop capabilities that extend from research and design to testing, certification and manufacturing. The strategy also aligns with the larger objective of increasing indigenous content and positioning Indian companies more strongly in global supply chains.
Singh's remarks at ‘Vimarsh 2026’ therefore placed technology, domestic capability and industry collaboration at the heart of India's defence ambitions for 2047. He said the country's vision of becoming a developed nation must include strategic security and technological self-reliance alongside economic development. Achieving self-reliance in critical technologies, increasing indigenous content, expanding defence exports and securing a stronger presence in global supply chains are key elements of that vision. For this, Singh stressed that DRDO, industry, start-ups and MSMEs must work more closely across the entire defence value chain. The emphasis on technological leadership reflects the changing nature of warfare, where advanced capabilities and innovation are increasingly important to maintaining strategic advantage.
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