The landscape of modern warfare is evolving at an unprecedented pace, shifting from brute force to technological supremacy. Nations are now measured by their ability to innovate, adapt, and deploy cutting-edge military systems. In this new paradigm, India has emerged as a formidable force, leveraging its Swadeshi movement—embodied by the Make in India and Atma-Nirbhar Bharat initiatives—to reduce reliance on foreign defence imports and foster a thriving ecosystem of indigenous research, development, and manufacturing.
India’s journey toward self-reliance in defence began with the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) in 1984, spearheaded by Dr. Abdul Kalam. This program birthed several key missile systems, including Agni, Prithvi, Akash, Nag, and Trishul. Today, all except Trishul have been successfully integrated into the Armed Forces, demonstrating India’s growing prowess in defence technology. The success of these programs stems from early partnerships with development partners, public sector companies like Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), and the integration of private sector companies such as L&T, Godrej and Boyce, and Tata Advanced System Limited into both development and manufacturing processes.
The transformation of India’s aerial warfare capabilities represents one of the most significant achievements of the Swadeshi movement. At the forefront stands the Tejas, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), a 4.5-generation multi-role fighter that embodies Indian engineering excellence. This sophisticated aircraft incorporates cutting-edge technology, including a glass cockpit, fly-by-wire controls, precision targeting systems, and beyond visual range missile capability, placing it in the same league as globally renowned fighters like the F-16 and JAS 39 Gripen. The Indian Air Force has already inducted over 40 jets into service, with an additional 83 Mk-1A variants on order, while export interest continues to grow from countries including Malaysia, Argentina, and Egypt.
India’s foray into unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) represents another leap forward in indigenous defence technology. The nation’s stealth UCAV, designed for autonomous deep-strike missions, features an advanced flying wing design integrated with sophisticated stealth capabilities and artificial intelligence systems. This platform positions India among the select few nations capable of developing and deploying such advanced unmanned systems.
The Indian Army’s transformation through indigenous technology spans multiple domains, from advanced missile systems to cutting-edge combat vehicles. The Akash Surface-to-Air Missile system exemplifies this technological revolution, serving as a mobile, all-weather, medium-range surface-to-air missile system with an operational range of 25-40 kilometres. This system, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation with significant contributions from the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI), is comparable to established international systems like the Russian Buk and Israeli Spyder. The Indian armed forces have deployed over 12 regiments of this system, providing comprehensive air defence coverage across critical installations and formations.
India’s naval capabilities have been transformed through ambitious indigenous shipbuilding and technology programmes that position the nation among the world’s premier maritime powers. The crown jewel of this transformation is INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier with a displacement of 45,000 tons. This magnificent vessel, commissioned in 2022, operates MiG-29K fighters and naval helicopters, joining India to an elite group of nations possessing such advanced carrier capability. Submarine capabilities have been substantially enhanced through the Kalvari-Class submarines, built under the Make in India initiative by Mazagon Dock Limited. These submarines are equipped with advanced sonar systems and are ready for Air Independent Propulsion upgrades, significantly extending their underwater endurance. With six submarines planned and five inducted by 2024, this program represents a major milestone in India’s submarine manufacturing capabilities.
The world’s largest military spender in 2025, the United States, not only continues to dominate the rankings but also makes up 62.3% of the global top 5 military spenders, allocating $997 billion, which accounts for 37% of global military expenditure. China follows as the second-largest spender with $314 billion. Together, these two nations dominate global defence spending, reinforcing their status as the world’s leading military powers.
India’s position as the fifth-largest military spender globally, with expenditure of $86.1 billion, demonstrates the nation’s commitment to regional security and defence modernisation. This spending represents 2.3% of India’s GDP and 3.2% of global military expenditure, highlighting the country’s growing strategic importance. Therefore, the necessity of increasing the indigenisation effort for the long term
