India Entering 'Golden Age of Defence Technology', Says Rajnath Singh at Swavlamban 2025 Rajnath Singh said the creation of a strong, self-sufficient domestic supply chain was essential to ensure strategic independence, reliability and long-term cost efficiency.
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said India is entering a "golden era of defence innovation," crediting young entrepreneurs, start-ups and innovators for transforming the country from a defence buyer into a global creator of cutting-edge military technologies.
Speaking at the Indian Navy's Swavlamban 2025 seminar in New Delhi, Singh said India's rapid progress in defence indigenisation is being driven not just by policy changes but by the collective work of start-ups, MSMEs, R&D labs and the armed forces.
"If India is rising as a maritime power today, it is due to the contribution of our innovators along with the Navy," he said.
Calls for a Future-Ready Defence Ecosystem
Addressing industry, academia and start-ups, the minister urged the ecosystem to remain proactive amid evolving global threats.
He said the creation of a strong, self-sufficient domestic supply chain was essential to ensure strategic independence, reliability and long-term cost efficiency.
Highlighting the heavy lifecycle costs of imported military platforms — including maintenance, repair, overhaul and spare parts — Singh said India must minimise import dependence.
"If we strengthen local manufacturing of components and subsystems, our indigenous content will increase rapidly," he said. "This will enhance capability and ensure strategic autonomy."
'Profit-Plus' Approach for Private Sector
Singh called on the private sector to adopt what he described as a "profit-plus approach" — combining financial gains with nationalism, duty and strategic responsibility.
He urged companies to increase their contribution to defence manufacturing to 50% or more in the coming years, stressing that modern defence production should be treated as a national mission rather than only an economic activity.
Navy Showcases Innovation Momentum
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi said Swavlamban has grown significantly in scope and participation since its debut. Attendance has expanded from 800 participants in the first edition to nearly 3,000 last year.
Tripathi noted that the Navy accounts for 35% of all iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) challenges — 565 announced so far — and said the platform has been central to accelerating partnerships with start-ups and MSMEs.
Products developed under the iDEX programme, he said, are now being procured not only by the Navy but also by the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Central Armed Police Forces, signalling a whole-of-defence approach to innovation.
India's Defence Innovation Push Accelerates
Singh said that going forward, India's development model will rest on four pillars: defence innovation, indigenous design, advanced manufacturing and strategic autonomy.
With rising global interest in Indian-made defence platforms, he said, the country is moving closer to becoming an exporter of high-technology systems and a key player in the global military supply chain.
