Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Saturday, 13 June 2026 shared a report highlighting that India's defence production has risen by 174 per cent during the Modi government, marking the occasion with the hashtag #12YearsOfSeva and referencing his Udhampur constituency.

Context

The minister shared the report as part of a broader social media campaign commemorating 12 years of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. The post cites a 174 per cent increase in defence production as a headline achievement of the administration, framing it as a measure of economic and strategic self-reliance.

Dr. Jitendra Singh represents the Udhampur constituency in Jammu and Kashmir and holds independent charge of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Earth Sciences, in addition to his role as Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office.

Policy Backdrop

The reported growth sits within a sustained policy push that began with the launch of Make in India in September 2014, which identified defence as one of 25 priority manufacturing sectors and progressively eased foreign direct investment norms. The Defence Procurement Procedure 2016 introduced the 'Buy (Indian-IDDM)' category, giving preference to indigenously designed and manufactured equipment.

The Atmanirbhar Bharat package, announced in May 2020, sharpened these ambitions by setting a target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore in defence production by 2025 and issuing successive negative import lists that banned procurement of over 101 defence items from abroad. The FDI ceiling in the sector was simultaneously raised to 74 per cent under the automatic route to attract private and foreign capital.

These measures collectively accelerated both public-sector defence undertakings and private-sector participation, expanding the domestic industrial base and reducing import dependence over the past decade.

Stakeholders and Impact

The beneficiaries of the production surge span defence public sector undertakings, a growing cohort of private defence manufacturers, and the three wings of the Indian Armed Forces, which have progressively sourced more equipment from domestic suppliers. The corporatisation of ordnance factories and the earmarking of capital budgets for indigenous procurement have further deepened private-sector involvement.

For Jammu and Kashmir, the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India narratives carry additional resonance, as defence-sector growth is often cited alongside regional development arguments by elected representatives from the Union Territory.

What's Next

Analysts will watch the Defence Budget 2027-28 allocations closely, particularly the share earmarked for indigenous research and development and capital procurement from domestic sources. Major defence exhibitions such as Aero India and DefExpo are expected to serve as platforms for announcing fresh negative-list expansions and export agreements that could further test the durability of the production growth trajectory.