NEW DELHI
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday reviewed the annual performance of all 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and called for greater efforts to reduce import dependence, expand indigenous manufacturing, boost defence exports and turn research and development (R&D) investments into technological leadership. The review meeting was held in New Delhi on September 1 and was attended by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar and the Chairmen and Managing Directors (CMDs) of all 16 DPSUs. The heads of the defence companies apprised the Defence Minister of their performance, major achievements and future plans.
During the meeting, Singh assessed the progress of the DPSUs in expanding domestic production and manufacturing capabilities, developing advanced defence technologies, promoting exports, strengthening supply chains and implementing key projects. Further, praising the contribution of the DPSUs to the country’s defence manufacturing ecosystem, Singh said all 16 organisations had made significant progress across various sectors. He congratulated them for their continued efforts towards strengthening India’s defence industrial base and advancing the objective of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Singh pointed out that India’s defence production touched approximately Rs 1.8 lakh crore during 2025-26, of which DPSUs accounted for Rs 1.29 lakh crore. He described the achievement as an indication of the country’s growing capabilities and its progress towards establishing a self-reliant defence manufacturing ecosystem.
The Defence Minister asked the DPSUs to ensure timely delivery of defence equipment and platforms while taking concrete steps to reduce reliance on imports. He also stressed the need to improve productivity through increased capital expenditure and called for greater support to startups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) operating in the defence sector.
Singh also emphasised the need to take India’s defence exports to newer levels and ensure that domestically manufactured defence products meet international quality benchmarks.
“The progress of DPSUs is not merely an economic or industrial necessity; it is a national security imperative,” Singh said, stressing that recent conflicts around the world had highlighted the importance of resilient defence supply chains.
According to Singh, assured supply chains, adequate surge capacity, availability of critical spares, rapid repair and maintenance capabilities, and the ability to sustain production during prolonged conflicts have emerged as critical requirements for national security.
While acknowledging the rise in R&D spending by DPSUs, Singh said the effectiveness of such investments should not be judged merely by the amount spent. Instead, he said, greater emphasis should be placed on the development of new technologies, intellectual property, prototypes and products that can be deployed operationally.
“We must identify niche technology areas where India can become not just self-reliant, but a global leader,” he said.
Singh further called on the DPSUs to raise the quality of their products to international standards and strengthen their global competitiveness. He said the government’s “Make in India, Make for the World” vision should guide the future expansion of the defence public sector.
“In pursuit of the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ objective, we must resolve to transform all DPSUs into global giants,” the Defence Minister said.
At the meeting, CMDs of seven DPSUs — Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE), BEML and MIDHANI — handed over dividend cheques amounting to Rs 3,951 crore to Singh. The amount represents dividends on the government’s equity holdings in the companies for the financial year 2025-26.
Meanwhile, Singh also released four publications focused on indigenisation, innovation and the development of future-ready defence capabilities. These included ‘Aatmanirbhar DPSU – A Journey of DPSUs towards Self-Reliance’, which details the roadmap for indigenising defence items, developing new products and adopting new manufacturing processes over the next five years.
The other publications included DISHA, an initiative aimed at connecting defence industries with students and providing young minds with practical exposure to defence technologies and modern manufacturing processes; the Modernisation Roadmap of HAL, which seeks to make the aerospace major a future-ready enterprise; and the Indigenisation Roadmap of HAL, aimed at further reducing dependence on foreign technologies and strengthening self-reliance in the aerospace and defence sectors.
Notably, the Defence Ministry said the initiatives are intended to deepen India’s indigenous defence capabilities and create a stronger and more integrated defence industrial ecosystem involving DPSUs, private-sector companies, startups and MSMEs.
