The self-reliance push is in full swing in India these days. Recently, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) shared a 15-second video, showcasing the new look of the countryโs defense forces. The video featured the DRDO-developed Pinaka rocket launchers, which have become a stronghold of India’s military power today.
Systems developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) such as Pinaka rocket launchers, K9 Vajra howitzers and missile transporters are now making a big contribution to Indiaโs defense production. This is being seen as a Make in India success.
Record increase in defense production
Indiaโs defense production has now reached โน1.27 lakh crore in FY 2023-24, reflecting a growth of about 174% over 2014-15. Systems like DRDO-developed Pinaka rocket launchers play a key role in this.
Along with this success, Indiaโs defense exports have also grown rapidly, reaching โน23,622 crore in FY 2024-25. This clearly shows that India is now becoming not just a buyer, but a global defense supplier.
The real meaning of self-reliant India
Under Narendra Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, India is trying to reduce its dependence on foreign countries. Indigenous technology like DRDO-developed Pinaka rocket launchers is very important.
The government believes that if the country starts manufacturing its own defense equipment, not only will security be strengthened, but employment and economic growth will also accelerate.
Criticisms and challenges
However, not everything is perfect. Critics say India is still the second largest arms importer in the world, with about 8.2% global share. This means clearly still not the full defense independence goal achieved.
However, imports have recently declined by 4%, which is a positive sign. Experts believe that if this pace continues, India could become fully self-sufficient in the coming years.
The way forward
The biggest challenge for India now is to accelerate innovation and technology development. Building on successes like the DRDO-developed Pinaka rocket launchers, India needs to build a strong hold in the global defense market.
Finally, I can say that India is slowly writing the defense growth story. If this momentum continues, India could not only become self-sufficient, but could become one of the top defense exporters in the world.
