India’s defence exports have grown 34 times in the last 11 years, rising from ₹686 crore in FY14 to ₹23,622 crore in FY25. The Ministry of Defence credited this sharp rise to policy reforms, licensing simplification, and relaxed export norms. India has now moved from being a net importer to a fast-growing exporter of defence equipment.
In FY25, exports rose 12% from ₹21,083 crore in FY24. A senior official told Moneycontrol that India aims to cross ₹30,000 crore in FY26. The government has set a ₹50,000 crore export target for FY29.
A Ministry statement on 1 April noted, “India has evolved from an import-dependent force to one focused on self-reliance and local production.” India exported a wide range of equipment—arms, ammunition, systems, sub-systems, and components—to around 80 countries in FY25 alone.
Experts said India’s weapons are integrated with the latest technology. Hence, the export growth should be even faster. Former DRDO director Ravi Gupta said, “We’ve mastered technologies for modern and futuristic warfare. We can also produce AI-based systems.” Gupta said India’s ballistic missiles like BrahMos, K4, and K15, along with tech-enabled rifles and artillery guns, have attracted international interest.
Public and private sectors show strong growth
In FY25, private firms contributed ₹15,233 crore and Defence PSUs ₹8,389 crore to defence exports. In FY24, the private sector contributed ₹15,209 crore while DPSUs stood at ₹5,874 crore. Between 2004 and 2014, India exported goods worth ₹4,312 crore. This jumped to ₹88,319 crore between 2014 and 2024, showing a 21-fold increase.
India now exports to over 100 countries. The top buyers include the USA, France, and Armenia. Countries in South-East Asia and South America have also emerged as key markets.
India’s defence portfolio expands globally
India now exports bulletproof jackets, Chetak helicopters, Do-228 aircraft, fast interceptor boats, and lightweight torpedoes. Since 2017, the government has listed weapon simulators, tear gas launchers, HF radios, torpedo loaders, night vision devices, and armoured vehicles among major export items.
A report by Elara Capital noted India has identified 160 military items for export. These include 19 aeronautical systems, 41 armament and combat systems, 4 missile systems, 27 communication systems, and 28 naval systems, among others.
Ease of doing business in defence
Since 2021, the government has eased approvals for full systems and platforms. Companies no longer need permission for each case. India also promotes its weapons at global expos in Sri Lanka, UAE, Bahrain, and Singapore.
The Defence Ministry introduced the Open General Export License (OGEL), a one-time licence for exporting specific items to pre-approved countries. A dedicated portal manages export authorisation requests.
In FY25, the ministry issued 1,762 Export Authorisations, a 16.92% rise from FY24. The number of defence exporters also rose 17.4% in the same period, reflecting India’s growing place in the global defence supply chain.
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