India’s Defence Exports Hit ₹25,000 Crore, Rajnath Singh Sets ₹50,000 Crore Target By 2029

India's defence exports have reached an unprecedented ₹25,000 crore, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced on October 17, 2025, during an event at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Nashik.

Major Announcements and Future Targets

Rajnath Singh noted that India's defence exports were under ₹1,000 crore just a few years ago, highlighting the rapid growth driven by the government's "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" and "Make in India" initiatives in defence manufacturing.

The government has now set ambitious targets:

• ₹3 lakh crore in domestic defence production
• ₹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029
• HAL's Role and Defence Self-Reliance

The Defence Minister praised HAL for its crucial role in strengthening India's aerospace and defence ecosystem. Key highlights include:

The maiden flight of the Tejas Mk1A, India's advanced 4.5-generation multirole fighter jet

Inauguration of new production lines for the Tejas Mk1A and HTT-40 trainer aircraft, which are expected to significantly boost annual output

Singh stated that India now produces nearly 65% of its defence equipment domestically, up from 30-35% a decade ago, with the goal of achieving 100% indigenous manufacturing in the near future to reduce reliance on foreign imports.

Strategic Importance and Export Growth

The Defence Minister emphasized that strong indigenous manufacturing enhances India's strategic autonomy, reduces dependence on foreign suppliers, and facilitates defence exports to partner nations, including countries in the Indian Ocean Region, Armenia, and Africa.

According to Ministry of Defence data, India exported ₹23,622 crore worth of defence equipment in FY 2024-25, demonstrating steady growth over the past decade. At the current pace, achieving the ₹50,000 crore export target by 2029 is considered a realistic milestone in India's expanding defence industrial base.

With ANI Input