India’s Defence Production Crosses Record ₹1.78 Lakh Crore, Strengthening Atmanirbhar Bharat Push

India’s domestic defence production has reached a record level of more than ₹1.78 lakh crore in FY25, marking a major milestone in the country’s journey towards defence self-reliance. The figure represents a sharp rise from around ₹46,000 crore in 2014, showing the rapid expansion of India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem over the past decade.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the growth reflects India’s increasing ability to design, manufacture and supply defence equipment within the country. The achievement also highlights the success of policy reforms, industry participation and the Government’s sustained focus on building a strong indigenous defence industrial base.

India’s defence exports have also recorded impressive growth. From around ₹1,000 crore before 2014, defence exports have risen to nearly ₹40,000 crore, indicating growing international confidence in Indian-made defence platforms, systems and components. The rise in exports shows that India is moving from being a major defence importer to an emerging supplier in the global defence market.

The Defence Minister made the remarks during the foundation stone laying ceremony of a 10,000-ton Aluminium Extrusion Press facility at Yantra India Limited’s Ordnance Factory in Nagpur. The new facility is expected to play an important role in strengthening India’s capability to manufacture specialised aluminium alloy extrusions for defence, aerospace and strategic applications.

The project is significant because advanced defence systems depend not only on large platforms such as aircraft, missiles, armoured vehicles and naval systems, but also on critical materials and precision components. Specialised aluminium alloys are widely used in aerospace structures, missile systems, defence vehicles, rail applications and other strategic sectors where strength, durability and weight efficiency are essential.

The upcoming Aluminium Extrusion Press will have a processing capacity of 10,000 metric tonnes of aluminium. Its output will support the requirements of the defence sector as well as key national organisations such as the Railways, ISRO and DRDO. By producing specialised aluminium components domestically, the facility will help reduce import dependence and strengthen India’s control over critical supply chains.

The investment also reflects the growing role of public-sector defence companies in India’s manufacturing transformation. Yantra India Limited, carved out of the erstwhile ordnance factory structure, is expected to strengthen its operational capabilities through such modernisation projects. The new facility will allow the company to serve both defence and strategic civilian sectors with higher-value products.

Nagpur and the wider Vidarbha region are also expected to benefit from the project. The facility can support local industrial growth, create skilled employment opportunities and attract more defence-linked manufacturing activity to the region. With better infrastructure, strategic location and growing industrial capability, Nagpur is steadily emerging as an important centre in India’s defence production map.

India’s record defence production comes at a time when the country is pushing strongly for indigenisation through domestic procurement, technology development, private-sector participation, defence corridors, export promotion and strategic partnerships. The focus is on building a complete ecosystem that covers design, raw materials, components, platforms, maintenance and exports.

The latest milestone of more than ₹1.78 lakh crore in domestic defence production shows that India’s self-reliance drive has moved beyond policy intent and is now producing measurable results. With rising exports, stronger manufacturing capacity and new facilities for critical materials, India is steadily building the industrial depth required for long-term defence preparedness and global competitiveness.