BENGALURU: “Energy, energy, energy”— that’s how Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described Aero India 2025, India’s premier air show, as he highlighted the country’s rapid transformation in the defence sector.
Speaking at the indigenisation event and valedictory of Aero India 2025 in Yelahanka, Rajnath said that India’s defence industry is witnessing exponential growth, with homegrown fighter jets, missile systems, and naval vessels strengthening national security while drawing global attention.
He described the scale of Aero India as “unmatched and historic,” highlighting the enthusiasm of Indian startups, entrepreneurs, and global defence companies. “The energy at this event is incredible. It reflects the confidence and ambition of India’s defence industry,” the Defence Minister.
More than imports and exports, what truly matters is empowering the armed forces, Rajnath said, pointing out how India has moved away from relying on imported defence equipment. “Ten years ago, we depended on other countries for nearly 70% of our defence needs. Today, the situation has completely changed... bout 70% of our defence production is happening within the country,” he said, reflecting on increase in number of exhibitors this year - 900, compared to the last edition’s 800.
He also stressed India’s growing role as an exporter of defence technology. “From small weapons to advanced missile systems like BrahMos and Akash, we are supplying military equipment to several countries,” he said. This success is a result of strong commitment from industry leaders and policymakers, which has helped India establish itself as a trusted global defence partner, he added.
He praised the aerial displays at the event, saying that the trails and patterns created by Indian aerobatic teams were a clear reflection of the advancements in the country’s defence capabilities.
Rajnath credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making self-reliance in defence a national priority, saying that a few years ago, Modi took it upon himself to turn India into a self-sufficient nation. He emphasised that this mission carried a deeper message of holistic national empowerment — something he said was previously missing from the country’s mindset but has now transformed into a nationwide movement.
In the past, the private sector was not empowered and often left uncertain about receiving the necessary resources and funding support. However, our government has been working since the beginning to eliminate this uncertainty and empower the private market. “We are even planning to introduce a policy that will balance the interests of both the public and private sectors,” Rajnath added.
Secretary, Defence Production, Sanjeev Kumar, said that while a large number of components have been indigenised, it is crucial that the domestic industry, when sourcing these components, also manufactures them locally.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, we worked closely with all our defence public sector units to assess all suppliers. I am pleased to report that we have identified an additional 30,000 to 35,000 components that can now be indigenised,” he said, requesting the Defence Minister that these be added to the indigenisation list.
The valedictory ceremony also saw the launch of several key initiatives. First, the booklet by HQ Ideas on ‘Network-Centric Multi-Domain Operations’, which provides valuable insights into conducting operations in a data-driven environment, was launched.
The ‘Compendium of Problem Definition Statement 2025’ was introduced to bridge the gap between the operational challenges faced by the Indian Army and the innovative, indigenous solutions being developed by academic institutions. The ‘Samarthya’ coffee table booklet on indigenisation was also unveiled to highlight the indigenisation journey led by the Department of Defence Production, showcasing key dependencies in defence, DPSU success stories, and strategies to accelerate indigenisation efforts.