How ‘Operation Sindoor’ Showcased India’s Defence Self-Reliance

‘Operation Sindoor’, launched in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, marked a defining moment for India’s indigenous military prowess.

Spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat policies, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of domestically developed technologies, ranging from surveillance drones to advanced missile systems, that outshone foreign-sourced alternatives from countries like Turkey and China.

A New Era In Defence Manufacturing

Fuelled by a combination of strategic reforms, streamlined procurement processes, and sustained government backing for Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) as well as private manufacturers, India’s defence production witnessed a dramatic surge, reaching ₹1.27 lakh crore in 2023–24.

This marks a remarkable 174% increase from ₹46,429 crore in 2014–15, clearly reflecting the transformative impact of the government’s push for self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Complementing the surge in exports, the defence budget swelled from ₹2.53 lakh crore in 2013–14 to ₹6.81 lakh crore in 2025–26, with 75% of the capital modernisation budget earmarked for domestic procurement.

Simultaneously, the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) scheme has played a crucial role in fostering start-ups and MSMEs, further strengthening India’s indigenous defence ecosystem.

By early 2025, it had signed 430 contracts and engaged over 600 innovators to deliver cutting-edge technologies like Quantum Key Distribution, autonomous systems, and secure tactical communications.

Similarly, the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for drones and the liberalised Drone Rules, 2021 have helped indigenous UAVs like Nagastra-1 and SkyStriker deliver high-precision performance in ‘Operation Sindoor’.

Under the MAKE programme, the Ministry of Defence categorises projects into three types-government-funded (MAKE-I), industry-funded (MAKE-II), and Technology Transfer-driven (MAKE-III) each requiring high levels of indigenous content.

By 2025, Indian defence manufacturers had indigenised over 14,000 items through the SRIJAN portal, while the Positive Indigenisation Lists had enabled the domestic production of more than 3,000 products, including radars, helicopters, and other critical systems.c

‘Operation Sindoor’: Indigenous Firepower In Action

The operation underscored India’s technological edge.

The Akash Surface-to-Air Missile system effectively neutralised threats, including drones and ballistic missiles.

The Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher provided rapid, heavy fire support. India’s industrial backbone ensured uninterrupted munitions supply, validating the effectiveness of locally made systems over imported hardware.

India’s defence exports soared from ₹686 crore in 2013–14 to ₹21,083 crore in 2023–24, with the United States among the top importers.

Defence corridors in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh have attracted over ₹8,600 crore in investment.

Reforms such as extending defence license validity and digitalising export approvals have significantly enhanced India’s appeal as a manufacturing hub.

These measures, coupled with strategic policy support, have created an enabling environment for rapid defence sector growth.

In this context, ‘Operation Sindoor’ stands as a powerful example of how the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative is reshaping India’s defence narrative- strengthening military capabilities, fuelling economic growth, and positioning the country as a rising global defence exporter.

Building on this momentum, and with this strong foundation now firmly in place, India is well on its way to becoming a major player in the international security arena by 2029.

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