Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday, 27 September 2026, called on India to deepen its domestic defence manufacturing capabilities and secure mastery over critical technologies, arguing that strategic autonomy in an increasingly complex global security environment depends on reducing dependence on overseas suppliers.

Speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Singh framed the country's philosophy in direct terms: produce domestically whatever can be made within India, rather than relying on imports.

The 'Chips to Ships' Vision

“From chips to ships, from screws to complete weapon systems, this will take India to strategic autonomy,” Singh said, underscoring the importance of indigenous design, innovation, and adaptation across every layer of the defence sector. The minister stressed that India's ability to manufacture and control key components of the defence supply chain would play a critical role in enhancing national security and curbing dependence on foreign vendors.

Fifth-Generation Warfare and Emerging Technologies

Drawing a comparison with the telecom sector's evolution from 2G to 5G, Singh said warfare had similarly entered a fifth-generation phase where advanced technologies would increasingly shape military outcomes. He identified artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, robotics, autonomous systems, and cybersecurity as integral components of modern conflict. Singh added that India was actively promoting indigenous quantum technologies while simultaneously strengthening the policy framework required to support emerging defence innovations.

The minister noted that future battlefields would extend across multiple domains — covering both contact and non-contact warfare, as well as kinetic and non-kinetic military operations. Countries that secure a technological edge, he argued, would be better positioned to navigate evolving security challenges.

Policy Reforms and Industrial Momentum

Highlighting recent structural changes, Singh said the government had undertaken transformative reforms to strengthen the domestic defence industry, helping the sector build significant momentum in recent years. “We are not limited to meeting current needs; we are self-reliant and future oriented,” he said. He also noted that India was diversifying critical energy resources necessary for national security — a recognition that modern defence preparedness extends beyond hardware to logistics and supply-chain resilience.

India's Youth as a Defence Technology Force

Singh reserved particular praise for India's young innovators, whom he credited with driving work in AI, drone technologies, robotics, quantum computing, and cybersecurity solutions. “India's youth are no longer just preparing for future jobs. They are preparing technology for India's future wars,” he said. The remarks signal an intent to align the country's start-up and technology ecosystem more closely with defence requirements — a trend already visible in the government's iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) programme. As India's defence exports continue to rise and the government pursues ambitious indigenisation targets, Singh's address sets the tone for the next phase of self-reliance that goes well beyond platforms to the critical components and software that underpin them.