India puts domestic industry at heart of new military equipment orders — SkimNews
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- India's Defense Acquisition Council, chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, approved $11.6 billion in military hardware procurements, with approximately 98% to be sourced from Indian industry, the Defense Ministry said.
- The Indian Army will receive advanced light helicopters, CBRN reconnaissance vehicles, mine-laying vehicles, high-mobility vehicles, and portable bridges under the new approvals.
- The Indian Navy secured funding to develop marine gas turbines domestically, addressing a strategic propulsion gap that leaves India's warships reliant on overseas suppliers.
- Domestic military production now accounts for roughly 65% of India's hardware, a sharp reversal from a decade ago when about two-thirds was imported.
- Private defense firms produced nearly a quarter of the approximately $20 billion in equipment manufactured in fiscal year 2025-26, and Singh aims to raise that share to 50%.
- Observers caution that key platforms like drones still rely on imported sensors and avionics, and India continues to depend on foreign suppliers for major systems including fighter jets.
Why it matters: With domestic production jumping from roughly one-third to 65% of military hardware in a decade, this $11.6 billion round locks in a structural shift toward private-sector defense manufacturing—but the source notes imported sensors, avionics, and fighter jets mean 'Made in India' still conceals foreign supply-chain dependencies that could surface in a sustained conflict.
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