New Delhi: The Central Government has taken a historic decision to strengthen indigenisation and self-reliance in the defence sector. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the transfer of technology of all conventional missile systems developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to Indian industries. According to the information released by the Defence Ministry, the main objective of this move is to manufacture missile systems domestically on a large scale in the country and to increase the participation of Indian private and public industries in the national defence ecosystem.
Following this technology transfer, eligible Indian companies that meet the prescribed standards, certifications, and regulatory qualifications will be able to produce conventional missile systems indigenously. This initiative marks a significant shift from the research phase of missile development to commercial and industrial-scale manufacturing. This will strengthen the country’s defense industrial base and create new business opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and other technology partners in the defense supply chain.
The primary objective of this far-reaching decision is to minimize the country’s dependence on imports of foreign military equipment and systems and to promote value addition in indigenous manufacturing. DRDO has expressed its commitment to maintain continued collaboration with the Indian industrial sector for the seamless transfer of advanced military technologies and their efficient application.
India is also rapidly advancing its strategic hypersonic weapons program, under which DRDO is working on hypersonic glide and cruise missile technologies. It is noteworthy that the country’s defense production is projected to increase by 15.6 percent in fiscal year 2024-25. This represents a jump of over 110 percent compared to the figure of ₹84,643 crore in fiscal year 2020-21, demonstrating a fourfold expansion in India’s indigenous defense production capacity over the past decade.
