India has stealthily constructed the diverse missile stockpile in the world, as well as record levels of defence manufacturing and export increases. This journey highlights a comprehensive process of restructuring over a decade, increased discretionary budgetary allocation and real urgency around Aatmanirbharta in defence manufacturing.
A new phase of Indian Defence manufacturing
Indigenous defence manufacturing of India reached ₹1,27,434 crore in FY 2023-24, a giant increase of 174%, approximately, since FY 2014-15. The defense budget increased from ₹2.53 lakh crore in 2013-14 to ₹6.81 lakh crore in 2025-26, all clearly signaling a clear commitment to sustaining a strong national military-industrial base.
Both the public and especially private sectors increased production.
DPSUs accounted for 77% of total manufacturing, which was approximately 23% private sector. Defense exports reached ₹23,622 crore in FY 2024-25, including approximately 12% year-on-year growth.
India’s missile system now represents some of the most self-reliant capabilities in the country, reflecting between 80 and 96% domestic content across platforms and programs
Agni Family: the Pillar of Nuclear Deterrence
The Agni series completes the nation’s nuclear deterrence. Agni-Prime underwent and completed full-scale operational testing in 2025. Agni missiles boast approximately 90% indigenous content. Agni-V provides the long-range strategic strike capability, Agni-I and Agni-II the medium-range deterrence capability.
Prithvi Series: Battlefield Precision
The Prithvi series of missiles provides important tactical strike capability. Prithvi-II features a range of approximately 350 km and a high level of accuracy. Indigenous content, or local manufacturing of parts, is now more than 85%, and this missile had significant upgrades that necessitated this change. Prithvi-III provides extended naval strike capability for India’s maritime forces.
BrahMos and Supersonic Strike Systems
The missile is India’s most visible cruise missile. BrahMos is a joint programme but has been made in India with an indigenized content of approximately 70%. India now manufactures its own seekers, parts of the propulsion system, and the control system. It is expected that production will be ramped up to an order of 150 missiles per annum by 2026.
Air defence capability: Akash and IADWS
India’s air defence systems are in an extraordinary state of self-reliance. For example, the Akash SAM system is domestically manufactured to 96%. New generation systems, such as QRSAM, VSHORADS and other laser-based directed energy weapons systems were successfully tested in 2025. These weapon systems now form the multi-layered aerial shield relied upon by its armed forces.
Emerging Capability: Pinaka, Rudram and Loitering Munitions
The Pinaka rockets, anti-radiating missiles known as Rudram, and indigenous loitering munitions, like the Switchblade equipment, are now in mass production. In fact, more than 14,000 components of these weapons systems have been indigenised and have greatly reduced reliance on being imported.
Policy Reforms as a Contributory Factor in Self-Reliance
The advancement of defence systems have been supported by major policy reforms.
DAP 2020
The Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 now directs procurement to favour the system being designed in India and manufactured in India. The defence forces and the Department of Defence Production and the Ministry of Defence have streamlined expenditure approvals, while promoting the assimilation of drones, Artificial Intelligence, and other advanced warfare technologies. The procurement system now favours micro, small-based enterprises (MSMEs) and start ups to build domestic capability for defence weapon system production.
DPM 2025
The Defence Procurement Manual 2025 simplified revenue procurements of ₹1 lakh crore. It introduced digital procurement, reduced penalties for domestic suppliers, and provided guaranteed purchases for indigenous items for a period of five years.
Strategic Investments and Defence Corridors
Defence Industrial Corridors in UP and Tamil Nadu attracted ₹9,145 crore in investment. DRDO also expanded support to academia and startups with a ₹500 crore deep-tech fund. India issued 788 industrial licencing enabling the emergence of 16,000 defence-related MSMEs.
A Global Defence Exporter is Born
India has exported patrol boats, radars, helicopters, torpedoes and ammunition to over 80 countries. India aims to be a major global defence production hub with a target of ₹3 lakh crore in production and ₹50,000 crore in exports by 2029.
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