"We all witnessed how the Akash missile system, BrahMos, AkashTeer Air Defence Control System, and many other types of indigenous equipment and platforms demonstrated their prowess during Operation Sindoor. The success of our indigenous platforms has not only enhanced India's reputation at the regional level but also on the international stage," Singh told the Annual Session of Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), the apex body of Indian defence industry, in New Delhi on Monday.
Noting the growing geopolitical uncertainty and changes in warfare, Singh said that these could only be tackled through indigenisation, or bolstering the domestic defence manufacturing capabilities.
"For us, the defence sector is not merely a matter of economic growth, but the foundation of national sovereignty. And when it comes to national sovereignty, it is not just the responsibility of the government, but becomes the common responsibility of every citizen, every organization, and every industry. This matter becomes even more significant today, after Operation Sindoor," the Defence Minister stated.
He credited various government reforms and initiatives such as various Defence Procurement Manuals, Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy, and Positive Indigenisation Lists for increasing the overall defence production in India from $5.2 billion in 2014 to almost $17 billion at present. Singh noted that Indian private defence companies contributed around $3.7 billion to the overall defence-industrial output.
The Indian Air Force (IAF), in coordination with the Navy and the Army, had successfully deployed the Indo-Russian BrahMos missiles to thwart a Pakistani counter-attack on the morning of 10 May during Operation Sindoor.
On Diwali, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his interaction with Indian Navy cadre aboard INS Vikrant, remarked that many countries have expressed an interest in buying the supersonic cruise missile from India.
Earlier this month, Defence Minister Singh disclosed at the inauguration of the BrahMos Integration and Testing Facility Centre in Lucknow that India has inked defence deals worth $452 million for supplying BrahMos missiles to two countries.