India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has announced an ambitious plan to increase the country's annual defence production to 3,00,000 crores (approximately 36 billion dollars) within the next 4–5 years. In line with this requirement, India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved an extra budget of 2.3 trillion crores (around 26.8 billion dollars) aimed at replenishing stockpiles and accelerating modernisation through emergency procurement of a wide range of weapon systems.
This major financial push underscores the emphasis on Atmanirbhar Bharat (transl.: "Self-reliant India") in the defence sector. The DAC stressed that domestic industry must take on a larger role in supporting the efforts of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and public defence enterprises. The approvals, issued as Acceptances of Necessity (AoNs), stipulate that 98% of the contracts must be executed domestically. Additionally, 50% of the indigenous content must consist of material, components, and software made in India.
Modernisation of the Indian Air Force (IAF) remains a top strategic priority. A comprehensive 360-degree roadmap has been released to boost its combat capabilities, with significant support expected from the private sector. However, post-conflict tensions with Pakistan have revived concerns regarding access to proprietary source codes. Dassault Aviation’s reluctance to share source code for the RAFALE aircraft is reportedly straining relations, potentially limiting the integration of indigenous systems such as the ASTRA Mk-1 and SAAW.
Despite this, the LCA TEJAS Mk1A programme is advancing, while the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) remains on track for induction by 2035. Nevertheless, to bridge short-term capability gaps, India will likely turn to additional global acquisitions.
The DAC also approved procurement for the Indian Army, including additional Light Combat Helicopters, 2 types of anti-tank munitions (with an emphasis on defeating MBTs and APCs), a replacement for the Indian Field Gun with a new towed gun system, and upgrades for the T-90 MBTs, including an improved automatic target tracker and fire control computer.
In contrast, the Indian Navy (IN) received a smaller share of the new budget. The only major acquisition approved for the Navy was the Medium Range Anti-Ship Missiles (MRAShM), although the quantity to be procured remains unspecified.
Facing potential threats on multiple fronts — including China, Pakistan, and possibly Bangladesh — India is racing to modernise its forces and refill depleted stocks. The government has shown no hesitation in turning to Russia for urgent supplies, with additional S-400 air defence systems expected to be delivered soon.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is projected to increase its defence budget by 25% and has submitted a new wishlist to China, which reportedly includes the procurement of 40 J-35A fighters, with the first batch expected by the end of the year.
Powered by © Mobilbyte s.a.s. Information Technology