Defence production surged 174%, exports grew 34-fold in 11 years of Modi government
The Narendra Modi-led central government, which has completed 11 years, has brought about a significant transformation in India's defence sector, focussing on self-reliance, modernisation and exports of arms and ammunition.For instance, Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, showcased India's growing self-reliance on defence production and its ability to respond effectively to security threats.advertisementHere are the key achievements of the Modi government in the defence sector in the past 11 years:
1. Record defence production - India's defence production has surged 174 per cent since 2014, reaching Rs 1.27 lakh crore in 2023-24. This growth is attributed to the government's emphasis on indigenous design, development and manufacturing.2. Defence exports - India's defence exports have grown 34-fold, reaching Rs 23,622 crore in 2024-25. The country now exports defence equipment to over 85 countries, including the US, France and Armenia.3. Indigenous defence systems - The operation utilised indigenous systems, such as the Akash surface-to-air missile platform, BrahMos missiles and loitering munitions, showcasing India's advancements in defence technology. The government has promoted the development of indigenous technologies, including the BrahMos missile system, Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) Prachand and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).advertisement4. Defence industrial corridors - Two dedicated defence industrial corridors have been established in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, attracting investments worth over Rs 8,658 crore and signed 253 MoUs with an estimated investment potential of Rs 53,439 crore.MODERNISATION AND REFORMS1. Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) - The DPP has been streamlined to prioritise indigenous procurement and promote Make in India initiatives.2. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) - The appointment of CDS has improved coordination and decision-making among the services, enabling faster response to evolving security threats.3. Theatre command - The government is working towards implementing the theatre command concept, which will enhance synergy and resource allocation during operations.WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT IN DEFENCE FORCES1. Increased representation - In the past 11 years, the number of women officers in the defense forces has tripled, reaching over 11,000.2. Permanent commission - The government has granted permanent commissions to 507 women officers, allowing them to pursue long-term careers in the defence forces.COUNTER-TERRORISM AND INTERNAL SECURITY1. Surgical strikes - India has conducted surgical strikes against terrorist camps in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) in response to the 2016 Uri attack, demonstrating its resolve to counterterrorism.2. Operation Sindoor - The armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist camps and infrastructure in Pakistan and POK. The mission was launched to avenge the deaths of 26 people by Pakistan-backed terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.advertisementOperation Sindoor demonstrated India's military capability and its ability to respond effectively to security threats, sending a strong message to its adversaries.FUTURE PLAN AND CHALLENGE1. Export target - The government aims to cross Rs 50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029, positioning India as a global hub for defence production.2. Research and development - The government needs to allocate more funds for research and development to achieve true self-reliance in defence and stay competitive in the global market.Must Watch
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Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
In battle of the delegations, real story lies in what went unsaid
In the aftermath of their recent military clash, rival delegations from Delhi and Islamabad converged on various global capitals, each aiming to shape elite opinion, win sympathy, and control the post-crisis narrative. Having witnessed some of the exchanges in London firsthand, the diplomatic duel across briefing rooms, think tanks, and diaspora events was as revealing for what was unsaid as for what was spoken. Messaging starts with messengers The difference in delegation profiles was notable. India's all-party parliamentary mission carried symbolic weight and cross-party legitimacy, including senior figures like Ravi Shankar Prasad and Pankaj Saran. Pakistan's team leaned more on technocrats and veteran advocates of global engagement, such as Sherry Rehman and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. India's group projected cohesion and resolve; Pakistan's aimed to influence narratives and broaden appeal. India's cautious case India's delegation framed Operation Sindoor as part of a broader shift: limited cross-border retaliation to terrorist acts as policy, not aberration. They emphasized terrorism as a global threat whose response merits international understanding—not moral equivalence. The delegation linked India's counterterrorism struggle to challenges faced by Western democracies, with Pakistan as a common denominator. In my observation, Indian representatives appeared quietly frustrated that while many countries expressed sympathy after Pahalgam and tacitly accepted India's right to act, few explicitly condemned Pakistan. Though confident in their message, their delivery often felt restrained. In think tanks, the tone was formal, even stiff; diaspora engagements were reportedly more fiery. Though most accepted the delegation's basic premise, some observers noted the irony in Delhi resisting calls to frame Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a shared threat but now seeking solidarity on Pakistani-based terrorism. Crucially, the delegation faltered when pressed on domestic radicalization. Two of the Pahalgam suspects were reportedly Indian nationals. Asked how New Delhi planned to prevent disillusionment turning to violence, the only response was that 'things today are better than in the 1990s.' This was a missed chance to demonstrate nuanced understanding of the challenge. Other inconsistencies emerged. India's representatives rejected 're-hyphenation' with Pakistan, yet much of their messaging focused on Islamabad. While stressing the quarrel was with Pakistan's military, not its people, questions about suspending the Indus Waters Treaty complicated that briefings took place inside the High Commission, with diaspora members complaining to me that they thought too much political outreach was aimed at UK politicians of Indian heritage. Playing it safe has a certain logic, but may have limited engagement with new or skeptical audiences. Pak's polished—but problematic—pitch If India played it safe, Pakistan opted for smooth. Their delegation turned up at major think tanks eager to engage and keen to appear misunderstood. With assistance from lobbying professionals, their narrative was tightly crafted for European audiences: Pakistan sought peace through dialogue, emphasising Kashmir as the 'unfinished legacy of Partition,' terrorism, and water. Pakistan said it wanted talks, a neutral investigation into Pahalgam, and accused India of refusing cooperation or prove culpability. This narrative of peace sat uneasily beside claims of military success and personal attacks on Indian leaders. Critique of Indian media spin might have bolstered believability had it not been accompanied by other factual distortions: legal sleight-of-hand over Kashmir, misreadings of UN resolutions, and claims that India admitted culpability for terrorism in most convincing moment came on the Indus Waters Treaty, where the stark picture painted of the consequences struck a chord, even if significant action has yet to follow. A key question remains: what was the objective? If persuasion abroad was the objective, the reliance on longstanding misrepresentations made it a difficult sell to informed audiences. If the goal was domestic signaling, that focus likely came at the expense of deeper foreign engagement. Simpler sell, harder ask Ultimately, the Indian delegation framed all terrorism as emanating from Pakistan; Pakistan framed it as emerging from Kashmir. The narratives didn't just clash—they barely shared the same terms of reference. As performative exercises providing content for domestic media, both probably succeeded on their own terms. In the battle to move international opinion, outcomes were uneven. India may have achieved more, but it also had the easier task — framing terrorism as a universal threat aligns with European security narratives. Pakistan, by contrast, asked outside actors to invest political capital in corralling New Delhi back to the negotiating table — a much harder sell. Yet neither side escaped contradiction. India's claim to strategic clarity was weakened by deflection on domestic aspects of terrorism in Kashmir. Pakistan's message of peace was blunted by triumphalism and tired tropes. In diplomacy, silence often speaks louder than words. In London last week, the most telling signals were what each side omitted, ignored, or performed for the audience they believed mattered most. Ladwig III is a senior lecturer at the department of War Studies, King's College London
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
PM Modi to begin 3-nation tour from Cyprus today
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