Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated on Saturday that Operation Sindoor reflected India’s advanced defence readiness. He credited the outcome to ongoing government initiatives for military upgrades and local weapons manufacturing. Speaking at an event in New Delhi, Singh praised the armed forces for their skill and courage in responding firmly to threats from militants and their backers. He noted that the operation proved the effectiveness of recent defence sector changes driven by a focus on national and service priorities over the past twelve years. Indigenous weapons such as the Akash Teer air defence platform, Akash missiles and BrahMos were deployed successfully along with other modern gear. Singh added that five indigenisation lists from the services now include 509 items, while Defence Public Sector Undertakings have listed 5,012 more. A further list is expected soon. Annual defence output has risen sharply to about 1.78 lakh crore rupees in 2025-26 from 40,000 crore around 2014, with targets set at over 2 lakh crore this year and 3 lakh crore by 2029. Exports are aimed at 50,000 crore by the same date. India is also positioning itself as a reliable security provider in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific regions. Recent prime ministerial visits to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand have boosted diplomatic, economic and strategic links, including missile cooperation and trade growth.
