Victory in war is an outcome dependent on many ingredients. Equipping the military with technologically advanced weapons and platforms is undoubtedly a crucial element. A vibrant, indigenous Defence Industrial Base (DIB) is therefore critical for a nation’s strategic autonomy; it adds considerably to comprehensive national power, eases the balance of payments and increases a nation’s heft.
India’s DIB has grown substantially and is displaying considerable appetite for growth. Private sector participation has reached a record 23% of defence production in FY2024-25. India’s defence exports rose to a record $2.76 billion in 2024–25.
There is cause for much satisfaction, but the stark reality is that India’s defence industry cannot yet supply all the cutting-edge war-winning platforms and equipment required by the Indian armed forces, which necessarily have to be imported, with the attendant geopolitical and life-cycle dependencies, along with problems of combat integration.