New Delhi: India's defence production has clocked an all-time high of Rs 1.27 lakh crore in terms of value in 2023-24 and it is now exporting weapons and military hardware to more than 90 friendly countries, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday. Indian armed forces are now using weapons and platforms manufactured on Indian soil and the country is rising on the global defence industrial landscape, the minister said in a post on 'X' on the 10th anniversary of the NDA government's 'Make in India' programme.
The government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "astute leadership" introduced the 'Make in India' programme with a vision to make the country self-reliant in every domain, Singh said. "Ten years since then, many reforms have been made in every sector including the defence sector. India is rising on the defence industrial landscape of the world," he said.
"Today, Indian Armed Forces are using weapons and platforms, which are manufactured on our soil and we are also exporting defence items to more than 90 friendly foreign countries," the minister added. In the last few years, the government has taken a series of measures to promote the domestic defence industry. The focus has been to boost domestic defence manufacturing and bolster military preparedness, especially in areas along the border with China.