India puts domestic industry at heart of new military equipment orders — SkimNews
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- India's Defense Acquisition Council, headed by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, granted "in principle" approval for $11.6 billion in military hardware, with approximately 98% of procurements to come from Indian industry
- The approved acquisitions span all three services: Army advanced light helicopters, CBRN reconnaissance vehicles, and portable bridges; Navy surveillance radars and funding to develop domestic marine gas turbines; Air Force ground-based electronic warfare jammers and unspecified fighter/transport/helicopter upgrades
- India's domestic production share has climbed to roughly 65% of military hardware, a major reversal from a decade ago when about two-thirds was imported
- Private defense companies accounted for nearly a quarter of the approximately $20 billion in defense equipment manufactured in fiscal year 2025-26, producing radars, artillery, missiles, drones, and naval systems once dominated by state-owned firms
- Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has set a target to increase India's share of defense production to 50%, citing private industry's efficiency, research capabilities, and risk tolerance
- India continues to rely on foreign suppliers for key platforms such as fighter jets, and domestically-produced drones still depend on imported components including sensors and avionics
Why it matters: Funded from India's $86 billion annual defense budget, this latest $11.6 billion round pushes domestic production to roughly 65% of military hardware — a dramatic flip from a decade ago when two-thirds was imported — giving India faster wartime replenishment capacity. But the article flags that critical gaps remain: India still imports fighter jets and key components like drone sensors and avionics, meaning the strategic vulnerability to foreign supply chains is reduced, not eliminated.
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