India’s defence exports have reached an all-time high of ₹38,424 crore in the financial year 2025-26, marking a sharp increase of ₹14,802 crore, or 62.66 per cent, compared to ₹23,622 crore recorded in the previous fiscal.
The contribution to total exports came from both Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and the private sector, accounting for 54.84 per cent and 45.16 per cent respectively, according to a statement by the Ministry of Defence on Thursday, 2 April.
“This accomplishment of the Indian defence industry is in line with the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision to position India among the world’s top defence exporters,” the ministry said.
In terms of value, DPSUs contributed ₹21,071 crore, registering a surge of 151 per cent over the previous year, while the private sector contributed ₹17,353 crore, reflecting a growth of 14 per cent.
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In FY 2024-25, the respective figures stood at ₹8,389 crore for DPSUs and ₹15,233 crore for private firms.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lauded the performance of the Department of Defence Production and stakeholders, stating that India is moving steadily towards becoming a global defence manufacturing hub.
He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is scripting an “impressive defence exports success story”.
The ministry noted that defence exports have nearly tripled over the last five years, indicating sustained growth and increasing competitiveness of Indian defence products in international markets.
India is now exporting defence equipment to more than 80 countries, reflecting wider global acceptance of its products and deeper integration into international supply chains.
The number of defence exporters has also increased from 128 to 145 in FY 2025-26, marking a rise of 13.3 per cent over the previous year.
The ministry attributed this growth to continued efforts towards ease of doing business and reforms aimed at supporting defence exporters.
“To support defence exporters in this growth trajectory, the Department of Defence Production has streamlined defence export regulatory processes with a revamped online portal and simplified Standard Operation Procedure for authorisations,” the ministry said.
These measures, the Ministry said, have helped build a performance-oriented and globally competitive defence industry, strengthening India’s position in the global defence export market.
