New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) In a significant development, defence exports surged to an all-time high of Rs 38,424 crore in the financial year 2025-26, marking a 62.66 per cent rise from previous fiscal’s Rs 23,622 crore exports figures, the government said on Thursday.

Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and the private sector contributed 54.84 per cent and 45.16 per cent, respectively.

This accomplishment of the Indian defence industry is in line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to position India among the world’s top defence exporters, said Defence Ministry in a statement.

DPSUs’ exports surged by 151 per cent compared to the previous year, with private firms showcasing their robust presence by recording an increase of 14 per cent.

“In terms of value of contribution, the private sector accounted for Rs 17,353 crore worth of defence exports, while DPSUs contributed Rs 21,071 crore. Their respective figures in the previous financial year stood at Rs 15,233 crore and Rs 8,389 crore,” said the official statement.

Apart from being a successful global partner for systems/sub-systems, India is exporting defence equipment to more than 80 countries as of FY 2025-26. The number of exporters underwent a surge to 145 from 128, a 13.3 per cent rise from the previous fiscal.

This highlights the increasing global acceptance of Indian made defence products and the sector’s growing integration into the international supply chains.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lauded this exemplary performance of the Department of Defence Production, Indian defence exporters and all other stakeholders, asserting that India is marching ahead towards becoming a global manufacturing hub for defence equipment.

In a post on X, he stated that under the inspiring leadership of PM Modi, India is scripting an impressive defence exports success story.

The continuous endeavours towards ease of doing business and facilitation of defence exporters have paved the way for a performance oriented and globally competitive defence industry.

—IANS

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