National Conference on ‘Opportunities in Defence Manufacturing in the Country’ – October 7, 2025

 

National Conference on ‘Opportunities in Defence Manufacturing in the Country’ – October 7, 2025

1. Context & Overview

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh will inaugurate a national-level conference on ‘Opportunities in Defence Manufacturing in the Country’ at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on October 7, 2025.

The event, organised by the Department of Defence Production (DDP) under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), seeks to synchronize national and state-level industrial policies to accelerate Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing.

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2. Key Objectives

1. Align State/UT Industrial Policies with the national self-reliance goal in defence production.

2. Promote coordination between the Ministry of Defence and State Governments to build regional manufacturing hubs.

3. Encourage private sector participation and investment in defence industries.

4. Facilitate exports and global market integration through new digital tools and policy measures.

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3. Key Launches at the Event

(a) Defence Exim Portal

• Purpose: To streamline export/import authorisation processes for defence products.

• Significance:

  • Reduces bureaucratic delays.

  • Enhances Ease of Doing Business for defence manufacturers.

  • Aligns with India’s growing role as a defence exporter — exports grew from ₹1,521 crore in FY2016-17 to ₹21,083 crore in FY2023-24 (≈ 1,286% increase).

• Managed by: Department of Defence Production.

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(b) SRIJAN DEEP Portal (Defence Establishments and Entrepreneurs Platform)

• A digital repository mapping capabilities, technologies, and products of Indian defence industries.

• Objective:

  • Connect MSMEs, startups, and major defence PSUs (like HAL, BEL, DRDO) for technology transfer.

  • Enable import substitution by identifying locally available alternatives.

• Impact: Will promote Defence Industrial Corridors (DICs) in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

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(c) Release of Key Publications

1. Aerospace & Defence Sector Policy Compendium of States/UTs – Comparative analysis of state-level defence policies.

2. iDEX Coffee Table Book – “Shared Horizons of Innovation” – Showcases innovations by startups supported under Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX).

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4. Significance for India’s Defence Manufacturing Ecosystem

Indicator	2014-15	2023-24	Growth/Target
Defence Exports	₹1,521 crore	₹21,083 crore	↑ ~1,286%
FDI in Defence	₹35 crore	₹5,000+ crore (cumulative)	↑ post 74% FDI policy
Defence MSMEs	~8,000 units	12,000+ units	Expanding base
Indigenous Procurement Target	60% (Achieved FY2024-25)	Target 75% by 2026	Atmanirbhar push

• India ranks 3rd in military spending globally (SIPRI 2024) but aims to reverse its import-heavy profile — currently 40–45% of equipment is still imported.

• Private sector and startups are being mainstreamed via iDEX, Make-I/II categories, and offset policies.

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5. Role of States and Union Territories

• States play a pivotal role by providing:

  • Industrial parks, land banks, and logistics infrastructure.

  • Policy incentives (tax exemptions, subsidies).

  • Support for skilled manpower and R&D ecosystems.

• Example:

  • Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridors expected to attract investment worth ₹20,000 crore+.

  • Other states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana are developing Aerospace & Defence Parks.

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6. Challenges

1. Technological dependency on foreign OEMs.

2. Low R&D expenditure – only about 0.8% of GDP, while global leaders like the US and China invest over 2%.

3. Fragmented supply chain across states.

4. Complex licensing and testing norms.

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7. Way Forward

1. Integrated Defence Manufacturing Policy linking states with MoD targets.

2. Enhanced funding for R&D and public-private DRDO collaboration.

3. Skilling initiatives under PM Vishwakarma Yojana and Skill India tailored for defence manufacturing.

4. Export-led growth strategy, targeting $5 billion in defence exports by 2028.

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8. Conclusion

The 2025 National Conference on Defence Manufacturing marks a strategic shift toward “Whole-of-Government” coordination, ensuring that both central and state efforts contribute to India’s defence self-reliance mission.

The simultaneous launch of Defence Exim and SRIJAN DEEP portals strengthens digital governance, transparency, and efficiency — making India a potential global defence production hub under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.