The Defence Ministry has paused import of more than 400 critical military items — unlocking a Rs 3,070 crore opportunity for domestic manufacturers. The lengthy list covers a broad range of defence platforms and systems including warplanes, armoured vehicles, ships and missile systems. 

“Each item has an indicative timeline for indigenisation. Upon successful indigenous development, these items will be procured from the Indian industry. The Defence Public Sector Undertakings and the Indian Coast Guard will undertake indigenisation through various routes, including their ‘make’ procedure and in-house development, with participation from the industry, particularly MSMEs,” an official statement added.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also highlighted the “transformative shift” in the sector during an Independence Day address. He added that the government was “fully confident” it would be able to achieve a target of Rs 50,000 crore defence exports by 2029.

“Defense exports, which stood at a mere Rs 686 crore in 2013-14, have risen to reach Rs 38,424 crore in the 2025-26 fiscal year. This means that in roughly a decade, our defense exports have surged by more than 5,500%. Today, there are 135 defense exporters in India, and our defense products are being exported to over 80 countries,” Singh told soldiers in a video message.

Rs 3,070 crore defence indigenisation list 

According to an official release, the list contains “line replaceable units, sub-systems, sub-assemblies, spares, components and raw materials”. It includes 16 Coast Guard items as well as 389 DPSU items covering a broad range of defence systems. 

  • Air platforms such as Advanced Light Helicopter, Light Utility Helicopter, Su-30MKI, Light Combat Aircraft and AL-31FP Engine
  • Armoured platforms including T-72, T-90 and BMP-II
  • Warships
  • Missile systems such as Konkurs-M, Invar and MRSAM
  • Defence electronics including radars, sonars, fire control systems and satellite communication systems
  • High explosive anti-tank ammunition and other critical defence equipment

“This sixth Positive Indigenisation List marks another step in the government’s efforts to promote self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. It is expected to further expand opportunities for the Indian industry, strengthen the domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem, promote investment and innovation, and contribute to reducing dependence on imports,” the statement adds. 

Domestic defence production skyrockets

According to Singh, domestic defence production had risen nearly four-fold over the past decade. The figure had skyrocketed from merely Rs 46,000 crore in 2014 to a record Rs 1.78 lakh crore in FY26. Meanwhile defence exports had increased over 5500% from Rs 686 crore in FY14 to an all-time high of Rs 38,424 crore in FY26.

The Raksha Mantri attributed the surge to structural changes in the defence sector — noting that DPSUs and other public sector entities accounted for approximately 76% of the total defence production. Private sector contribution has also risen to 24% amid a “continuously improving business environment”.

“Our defense budget has risen from Rs 2.53 lakh crore in 2013-14 to Rs 7.85 lakh crore in 2026-27. Similarly, capital expenditure has increased from Rs 94,538 crore to Rs 2.19 lakh crore. Our focus on research and development has also steadily increased. The R&D budget, which stood at Rs 15,233 crore in 2014-15, has risen by 90% to reach Rs 29,100 crore in 2026-27,” he noted.