Shiradi (Ahliyanagar): Signaling a major shift in India’s defense manufacturing strategy, Defense MinisterRajnath Singhon Saturday said the private sector is no longer merely a supplier of “nuts and bolts” to the armed forces, but has transformed into an innovator and manufacturer of advanced weapons systems as the government seeks to transform India into a global hub for munitions and automated warfare systems.
Addressing a gathering after inaugurating Nibe Limited’s state-of-the-art defense and aerospace manufacturing and innovation facilities in the temple city of Shirdi, Singh said the Center aims to increase private sector participation in protection production from the current 25-30 percent to nearly 50 percent in the coming years.
“Earlier, the role of the private sector in defense production was negligible. Today it has reached almost 25 to 30 percent. We want to increase it to 50 percent,” said the Defense Minister.
The remarks come amid the government’s broader push for indigenization and self-reliance in strategic sectors under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, particularly against the backdrop of lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and growing geopolitical instability in West Asia, which have highlighted the importance of the manufacturing capabilities of domestic defense supply chains.
“Our government is constantly emphasizing that Make in India should be promoted in critical technologies and advanced systems. To ensure that India emerges as a first in munitions and automated systems, the government is ready to take any necessary steps,” Singh said.
Appreciating the role of Indian industries, he said the country’s private sector had developed a strong understanding of future warfare technologies and was increasingly contributing to next-generation defense capabilities.
“To make India a hub for munitions and automation, everyone will have to work together. Only when the capabilities of Indian defense companies grow will the country’s security framework become even stronger,” he said.
Calling for complete self-reliance in defense and space technologies, Singh said, “Self-reliant India means a secure India, a capable India and a powerful India.”
Among those present were Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Industries Minister Uday Samant, Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Chief of Defense Staff Anil Chauhan and Nibe Group Chairman and Managing Director Ganesh Nibe.
Emphasizing the growing importance of technology-driven warfare, Singh said future conflicts will increasingly be decided not just by troop strength, but by technological superiority in munitions, automation and advanced systems.
“The biggest difference in future wars will not depend on the number of soldiers a country has, but how advanced and capable it is in munitions and automation. We are witnessing this in the Russia-Ukraine war and the ongoing conflict in West Asia. India also demonstrated this capability during Operation Sindoor,” he said.
The defense minister said the manufacturing sector – especially defense manufacturing – had the potential to take India to “new heights”, citing reforms such as the corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Boards aimed at making them more efficient, transparent and globally competitive.
“With this thought in mind, we undertook bold reforms so that the defense production units become more effective, modern and competitive. After corporatisation, they are functioning with even greater strength,” he said.
Calling for deeper private participation in strategic sectors, Singh said risk-taking capacity, innovation and research-led growth were among the strengths of private industry.
“When we talk about promoting the private sector, a major reason behind this is that the private sector has the capacity to take risks. The private sector means efficiency, economic development, research and development and imagination. Therefore, with the entry of private industry into defense and space, we are witnessing greater investment and development,” he said.
The Nibe Group facility inaugurated on Saturday includes manufacturing capabilities in munitions, missile and missile systems, autonomous platforms and aerospace components, reflecting the growing role of private companies in India’s evolving military-industrial ecosystem.
