Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated on Monday that India must remain vigilant and prepared for ‘war-like situations’ in the wake of the recent military conflict with Pakistan. This four-day conflict in May revealed that unforeseen challenges can emerge unexpectedly along the country’s borders.
Addressing a gathering in New Delhi, Singh highlighted that India demonstrated a firm response during Operation Sindoor, which should serve as a pivotal case study for shaping future security strategies.
“Although we responded firmly and our forces are fully prepared to defend the country’s borders, we must continue to introspect,” Singh stressed. He urged that Operation Sindoor should guide India’s strategic planning, illustrating that surprises can occur anywhere, anytime.
Singh emphasized self-reliance in defence, pointing out that India’s indigenously developed weapons systems, including the renowned Akash missile, BrahMos, and the Akashteer air defence control system, played a crucial role in enhancing the operation’s success and bolstering India’s international standing.
“We need to be ready for a war-like situation, and our preparedness must rest on our own foundation,” Singh asserted. He maintained that indigenisation is the only sustainable strategy to address emerging global uncertainties.
He further asserted that the government is dedicated to creating a level-playing field for defence manufacturing in India to strengthen the domestic ecosystem. “We are striving to ensure that defence equipment is not merely assembled in India but genuinely manufactured here, embodying the spirit of ‘Made in India, Made for the World’,” he said.
In an impressive statistic, Singh revealed that India’s defence production has skyrocketed from ₹46,000 crore in 2014 to a staggering ₹1.51 lakh crore today, with the private sector contributing a significant ₹33,000 crore. He noted that defence exports have surged to nearly ₹24,000 crore, with expectations to reach ₹30,000 crore by March 2026.
