Navy Achieves 70% Ammo Indigenisation, Places ₹5,000 Crore Orders to Boost Self-Reliance
While India and Philippines prepare to conduct their first bilateral naval exercise, China and Vietnam are also stepping up cooperation in the South China Sea. Image courtesy: Indian Navy
The Indian Navy has indigenised 70% of its ammunition requirements and placed orders worth ₹5,000 crore to bolster its self-reliant defence ecosystem, revealed Kaval Singh, Principal Director of Naval Armament, at the PHDCCI’s Ammo Power Conference on July 30 in New Delhi.
Highlighting the Indian Navy’s significant strides towards ‘atmanirbharta,’ Singh said the indigenous push offers vast opportunities for private players in the defence sector, especially amid evolving warfare and technological disruptions.
“The Navy has already achieved 70% indigenisation. We have nearly ₹5,000 crore in outstanding orders, and there is immense potential for both existing and new entrants,” he noted.
However, he underscored the challenges that remain, ranging from capacity building and tech upgradation to overcoming safety regulations, critical resource deficiencies, and import dependencies. Singh called for deeper convergence between users, industry stakeholders, and policymakers to ensure a smooth transition to full indigenisation.
Lt Gen. Amardeep Singh Aujla, Master General Sustenance of the Indian Army, shared parallel progress, stating that 154 of the 175 ammunition variants used by the Army have been indigenised. “By year-end, we aim for 100% indigenous ammunition. Future wars demand precision, smartness, and swift replenishment—customised to Indian conditions,” he asserted.
Reinforcing the call for a robust domestic ecosystem, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar said, “There’s no dearth of intent from the government or the armed forces. Industry must build across the value chain to meet domestic and global demand.”
Air Marshal KAA Sanjeeb urged Indian firms to go beyond assembly and invest in R&D, collaborate with global leaders such as Israel and Russia, and establish Centres of Excellence in armament production. He also called for easing licensing norms for both imports and exports.
On the occasion, PHDCCI unveiled a detailed report titled “Ammunitions Ecosystem For A Self-Reliant And Future-Ready India.”
