Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India will no longer be merely a buyer in the global defence market.
This shift toward self-reliance aims to strengthen national security and reduce dependence on foreign defence systems. The strategy is a central component of the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and Make-in-India policies, which seek to transform the country into a manufacturing hub.
Modi said these goals during an event in Kolkata and during Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort in Delhi in August 2023. He said the nation must pursue indigenous production to ensure its strategic autonomy.
The transition is supported by a significant increase in industrial capacity. India issued 258 defence industrial licences in 2015 [1]. By March 2026, that number grew to 834 licences [2].
This growth in licensing reflects a broader effort to build a domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem. By fostering local innovation, the government intends to move away from the import-dependence that has historically characterized India's military procurement. The increase in licences suggests a widening base of private and public sector participants in the production of military hardware.
The push for self-reliance comes as India navigates complex global trade dynamics. The commitment to indigenous production is designed to shield the military from external supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical pressures.
“India will no longer be merely a buyer in the global defence market”
India's transition from a primary importer to a manufacturer represents a strategic pivot to decouple its national security from foreign suppliers. The sharp rise in industrial licences indicates that the government is successfully incentivizing the private sector to enter the defence space, which is critical for achieving the scale necessary to replace global imports.
