Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called on India to work in “mission mode” to become a global hub for indigenous drone manufacturing within the next few years, citing mounting geopolitical instability as a key driver for accelerating self-reliance in defence production.

Addressing over 200 MSMEs, start-ups, defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs), policymakers and academics at the two-day National Defence Industries Conclave in New Delhi, Singh stressed that self-reliance in drones must extend beyond the finished product to the component level—including molds, software, engines, and batteries.

“In most countries where drones are manufactured, a significant number of critical components are currently imported from China,” he warned.

Drawing on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and Iran-Israel tensions as examples, Singh argued that drones and counter-drone technologies are set to define future warfare, making a robust domestic production ecosystem a strategic necessity.

200 Innovation Challenges Unveiled

At the conclave, Singh launched the 14th edition of the Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC-14) and the 4th edition of ADITI Challenges, together releasing 107 problem statements from the Armed Forces, the Indian Coast Guard and the Defence Space Agency. An additional 101 innovation challenges funded directly by DPSUs were also announced, with winning start-ups offered mentorship, testing facilities and potential supply chain integration.

iDEX Milestones

Singh cited significant progress under the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) framework since its 2018 launch. As of February 2026, 676 start-ups, MSMEs and individual innovators have joined the ecosystem. Of 548 contracts signed and 566 challenges launched, 58 prototypes worth Rs 3,853 crore have received procurement clearance, and 45 procurement contracts valued at Rs 2,326 crore have been formalised.

Industry 4.0 Push for MSMEs

The minister urged MSMEs to integrate Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Automation and Additive Manufacturing into their operations, describing the shift as essential to achieving India’s Viksit Bharat goals. He also highlighted the concept of “digital twins”—virtual models of real-world systems — as a tool for better decision-making and resource optimisation.

Singh noted that the number of registered MSMEs in India has grown from approximately 4.67 crore in 2012–13 to nearly 8 crore today, reflecting a steady rise in entrepreneurship across the country.

Five publications were also released at the event covering defence export opportunities, MSME integration into the DPSU ecosystem, and an AI Maturity Assessment Model for defence organisations.

The conclave was attended by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Naval Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, and other senior officials.