New Delhi, Jan 1 (NationPress) As we close the chapter on the ‘Year of Reforms 2025’, the Ministry of Defence, led by Rajnath Singh, has made remarkable strides in executing extensive reforms focused on fortifying jointness, boosting defence preparedness, fostering self-reliance, and enhancing welfare delivery mechanisms, as declared by an official on Thursday.

The Defence Minister has championed reforms by adopting a whole-of-government approach to construct a modern, integrated, and future-ready defence framework.

Throughout 2025, the Defence Acquisition Council has sanctioned capital acquisition plans exceeding Rs 3.84 lakh crore since January 2025, aimed at bolstering the nation’s defence capabilities with an emphasis on modernisation through indigenisation.

In the Financial Year 2025-26, up until the end of December 2025, the Ministry of Defence signed capital contracts totaling Rs 1.82 lakh crore for the modernisation of the Armed Forces, as stated by a MoD official.

Furthermore, the Ministry demonstrated commendable performance in terms of expenditure, achieving 80 percent expenditure under the Capital Acquisition Budget by December 2025. This allocation is directed towards the modernisation of the Armed Forces. The overall capital expenditure of the MoD has also reached 76 percent, encompassing expenses on Infrastructure, land, and R&D in addition to capital acquisition.

According to the MoD, to bolster indigenisation in defence and secure supply chains, private sector engagement has been amplified.

This initiative includes streamlining defence manufacturing licenses, mapping the capabilities of MSMEs, and creating Market Intelligence Reports to improve demand-supply analysis in defence procurement.

Moreover, testing and trial facilities are being shared with the private sector, and 25 percent of defence research grants are allocated to them, alongside academic institutions and MSMEs, to encourage innovation and foster collaboration within the defence sphere.

Procurement procedures have been refined to cut down timelines, including the simplification of the iDEX manual, the rationalization of defence export permissions, the revamping of the Defence EXIM Portal, simplification of the Technology Transfer policy, and decentralization through revised Delegation of Financial Powers and Procurement Manuals, as per the Defence Procurement Manual 2025, which took effect on Nov 1, 2025.

Last year, the Ministry undertook a review and revision of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, facilitating the encouragement of Foreign Direct Investment in defence, enhancing engagement with allied nations, Defence Lines of Credit, including Bharat Maitri Shakti, and rationalizing restricted distance norms near defence establishments.

Establishing an Export Promotion Body, implementing Quality Assurance 4.0 and Industry 4.0 in DPSUs, and setting up a National Integrated Test Laboratory for defence platforms are among the initiatives aimed at improving Defence Production and Quality Enhancement.

In terms of jointness and future preparedness, the establishment of the Joint Operations Control Centre, the promulgation of Vision 2047 for the Armed Forces, the creation of a Future Operations Analysis Group, promotion of joint training programmes, and finalization of the Integrated Capability Development Plan were pivotal actions.

The initiatives yielded successful outcomes during the planning and execution of Operation Sindoor, according to an official statement.

In 2025, the deployment of the Tri-Service Geographical Information System, reviewing and harmonizing policies, SOPs and Tactics, Techniques & Procedures for tri-service uniformity, expanding women's roles in combat and leadership positions, promoting military tourism, and preparing a long-term roadmap for operational infrastructure and accommodation were successfully completed.

To enhance medical cover for veterans and their dependents under ECHS, a pan-India doorstep delivery of medicines for Ex-servicemen (ESM) over 70 years old with infirmities was initiated, local chemist limits were doubled, and eSeHAT tele-medicine consultations were introduced.

Other initiatives included AYUSH treatment at ECHS and the establishment of stress management facilities.

The Common drug list was expanded, and some ECHS polyclinics were upgraded, while the creation of new polyclinics is in progress.

Welfare grants for ESM and their dependents were increased, encompassing Penury, Education, and Marriage grants.

Moreover, 31.69 lakh defence pensioners were registered on SPARSH, India's largest digital pension platform. Out of 6.43 lakh discrepant cases migrated from previous systems, 6.07 lakh have been normalized without impacting pensioners' entitlements.

The sustained momentum of reforms during the ‘Year of Reforms 2025’ has fortified India’s defence preparedness and institutional efficiency. These reforms are not standalone initiatives, but rather part of a continuous journey to create a modern, integrated, and self-reliant defence ecosystem capable of safeguarding the nation’s security interests in the future, as articulated by a MoD official.