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Summary
India’s defence exports soared in 2025-26, boosted by state-run exporters. For upper-end items like missiles, this is a geopolitically sensitive market. Strategic neutrality maximizes potential, but it’s best to go about signing arms-export deals cautiously.
India’s defence exports surged to a record ₹38,424 crore in 2025-26, marking a 63% increase over the previous year, defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday. The ballast was provided by defence public sector undertakings, whose outbound shipments saw an impressive 151% increase to ₹21,071 crore. Defence exports by the private sector recorded a relatively modest 14% rise to ₹17,353 crore.
Overall, it’s an encouraging picture. India has mostly been an importer of defence equipment, but is now helping others arm up with its own products. While all foreign currency earnings are useful, as external demand grows for Indian armaments, the strategic dimension of this business will assume importance.
Our broad neutrality in geopolitical affairs assures us a worldwide market, but it’s critical that some high-end products, such as BrahMos missiles, are sold exclusively to responsible buyers.
Meanwhile, export expansion would require investment in research and development. Apart from missiles, drones integrated with AI systems could see a surge in global demand. Here too, India must ascend the sophistication curve quickly without letting lethality get ahead of ethics.
English (US) ·