New Delhi: Amid Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, there is good news for India on the defense front. The country has taken a big leap in selling weapons abroad. India's defense exports are being focused on amid India-Pakistan tensions. Amid efforts being made for 'self-reliant India', India's defense exports reached a record high of Rs 23,622 crore (about $2.76 billion) in the last fiscal year 2024-25. Compared to the figure of Rs 21,083 crore in the previous fiscal, this represents a growth of Rs 2,539 crore, equivalent to a growth of 12.04%.
Precision of Make in India
The success of Operation Sindoor has highlighted the precision of ‘Make in India’ weapon systems. In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian military forces launched Operation Sindoor on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. India also attacked several airbases in Pakistan after the neighbouring country launched drone attacks.
Defence Ministry tweeted
“India exports to nearly 80 countries, targeting exports worth Rs 50,000 crore by 2029, which will strengthen its presence in global defence manufacturing,” the Ministry of Defence (MoD) posted on Twitter. The MoD said that compared to the revenue of Rs 686 crore in FY 2013-14, the figure for FY 2024-25 is Rs 23,622 crore, a 34-fold increase.
An earlier Defence Ministry release in April said that the export performance of defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) has improved substantially in FY 2024-25 with a growth of 42.85%, reflecting the strong international acceptance of Indian defence products and the sector's ability to integrate into the global supply network.
Transformation in India's military capabilities
The private sector contributed Rs 15,233 crore in FY 2024-25, while DPSUs exported Rs 8,389 crore. These figures show an improvement from FY 2023-24, when private sector exports stood at Rs 15,209 crore and DPSU exports stood at Rs 5,874 crore.
According to the Ministry of Defence, India has transformed its military capabilities, moving from heavy import dependence to a focus on domestic manufacturing and self-reliance. It has made significant progress in defence exports, successfully delivering diverse military equipment including ammunition, weapons, systems, subsystems and various components.
