India’s defence exports have reached an all-time high of Rs 38,424 crore in Financial Year 2025-2026, registering a sharp rise of Rs 14,802 crore—or 62.66 percent—over the previous fiscal year’s figure of Rs 23,622 crore.
In a press statement, the Ministry of Defence said that the state-owned Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) were the standout performers in FY 2025-2026, with their exports surging 151 percent year-on-year—from Rs 8,389 crore to Rs 21,071 crore.
The private sector, meanwhile, clocked a 14 percent increase, contributing Rs 17,353 crore compared to Rs 15,233 crore in the previous year. In overall terms, DPSUs accounted for 54.84 percent of total exports, with the private sector making up the remaining 45.16 percent.
Officials noted that there was a threefold increase over the last five years, highlighting the rapid pace at which India’s defence industry has scaled up its global footprint.
Wider Reach, More Exporters
India is now exporting defence equipment to more than 80 countries as of FY 2025-2026. “The number of exporters underwent a surge to 145 from 128, a 13.3% rise from the previous fiscal,” the statement released by the defence ministry said.
The government has set a target for defence exports for 2029 at Rs 50,000 crore.
Rajnath Singh Hails the Achievement
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lauded the performance of the Department of Defence Production and all stakeholders involved. Posting on X, he said India was “scripting an impressive defence exports success story” under PM Modi’s leadership.
India’s Focus on Exports
India’s thrust on Make in India and exports has intensified significantly, with a sharp focus on bolstering domestic defence manufacturing. New Delhi is now actively eyeing foreign markets to promote and sell its indigenously developed defence products.
The government, through defence attaches posted across the globe, is undertaking several outreach exercises such as exhibiting defence equipment at international expos, facilitating government-to-government deals, and engaging with potential buyer nations in order to position India as a reliable and competitive supplier in the global arms market.
Only in March this year, the Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan told a parliamentary panel that to play the role of an exporter, India had reshuffled its defence attaches. He explained that defence attaches, who were earlier posted in countries from which India was procuring defence equipment, have since been redeployed to nations that represent potential markets for Indian defence exports.
India is actively eyeing Africa as a defence market. To this end, India has institutionalised its defence engagement with the continent through platforms like the India-Africa Defence Dialogue and India-Africa Army Chiefs’ Conclave.
Major platforms that India has exported until now include the Pinaka multi-barreled rocket launcher, radars, simulators, mine-protected vehicles, armoured vehicles, line replaceable units and parts, thermal imagers, body armours, ammunition, small arms and avionics components.
Other significant platforms include the Dornier-228 aircraft, the 155mm/52 calibre DRDO Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, the BrahMos cruise missile, and the Akash surface-to-air missile system.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India is the world’s fifth-largest military spender. A separate SIPRI report on international arms transfers ranks India as the world’s second-largest arms importer, behind only Ukraine.