Aero India 2025: Raksha Mantri Invites Global OEMs to Strengthen Defence Collaboration

Shri Rajnath Singh also spotlighted the issuance of Positive Indigenisation Lists, underlining the government’s commitment to fostering self-reliance in defence.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh extended a warm invitation to global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to explore and capitalize on the burgeoning opportunities within India's defence ecosystem. Addressing the CEOs Roundtable at Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru, he emphasized the need for innovative, targeted solutions to counter the evolving challenges posed by today's volatile geopolitical environment.

Highlighting the rapidly shifting nature of military operations, Shri Rajnath Singh pointed to the increasing complexity in communication and data sharing, as well as the growing reliance on space-based navigation, surveillance, and communication systems. "These technologies must be seamlessly integrated into our operational strategies," he remarked. Citing the extensive use of drones in modern conflicts, he stressed the necessity for India's defence manufacturing sector to prioritize countermeasures and integrate manned, unmanned, and autonomous warfare systems.

Quoting the renowned Indian strategist Kautilya, the Raksha Mantri reiterated the government's commitment to safeguarding the nation's sovereignty: "We have a moral responsibility to protect our people and territory in a hostile atmosphere. To achieve this, we are equipping our Armed Forces while driving self-reliance in defence manufacturing through the development of a robust, efficient, and future-ready defence industrial ecosystem."

Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted the transparent, industry-friendly policies introduced by the Government of India under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's leadership. He noted that these initiatives are designed to foster self-reliance in defence production, backed by a conducive regulatory environment.

Transformative Measures to Boost Defence Manufacturing

The Raksha Mantri detailed several transformative steps aimed at integrating the domestic defence industry into the national economy, aiding India's transition from a developing to a developed nation by 2047. Key highlights include:

• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Allowing up to 75% FDI through the Automatic Route for new defence licenses and up to 100% under the Government approval route.
• Joint Ventures: Approval of 46 Joint Ventures and companies with foreign investment in the defence sector.
• Defence Industrial Corridors: Over 250 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed for establishing industrial units in the Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
• Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme: Financial support for setting up 6-8 greenfield testing and certification facilities in the Aerospace and Defence sectors.
• Defence Exim Portal: Streamlining export authorization processes, contributing to a 31-fold increase in defence exports over the past decade.

Shri Rajnath Singh also spotlighted the issuance of Positive Indigenisation Lists, underlining the government's commitment to fostering self-reliance in defence. Additionally, over 500 start-ups and MSMEs are actively engaged in innovation projects through the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative.

"India's ease of doing business environment has significantly improved," he said, noting that India now boasts the third-largest start-up ecosystem globally, with projected annual growth of 10-12%. "Our young, highly-skilled workforce continually adapts to the fast-changing global landscape, offering an unparalleled advantage to those investing in our ecosystem."

Global Engagement at the CEOs Roundtable

Describing the CEOs Roundtable as a pivotal platform for fostering self-reliance in defence production, Shri Rajnath Singh emphasized the government's commitment to partnering with top organizations worldwide. The conclave's theme, Enabling Defence Cooperation through Global Engagement (EDGE), reflects this collaborative spirit.

The event saw participation from OEMs representing 19 countries, including the USA, France, Russia, South Korea, the UK, Japan, Israel, and Brazil. Prominent Indian companies like Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge Ltd, Adani Defence & Aerospace, Mahindra Defence Systems Ltd, BrahMos Aerospace, and Ashok Leyland Defence were also in attendance, alongside 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).

Leading foreign OEMs, such as Airbus (France), Ultra Maritime (USA), GNT (South Korea), John Cockerill Defence (UK), Mitsubishi (Japan), Rafael Advanced Defense System (Israel), Safran (France), and Liebherr Aerospace (France), presented their future plans. These include Joint Ventures, collaborations with Indian companies for spare parts production, development of aero-engines, establishment of Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) facilities, and setting up R&D centers.

Key Attendees

The Roundtable was graced by notable dignitaries, including Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar, and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V Kamat.

Concluding his address, Shri Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that the collaborative efforts initiated at the CEOs Roundtable would propel India towards becoming a leading global defence manufacturer and service provider.