A necessary pivot on defence production

The results are already visible. Defence production reached ?1.78 lakh crore in FY26, a fourfold increase from ?43,746 crore recorded in FY14. Exports touched ?38,424 crore, rising 62.66% in a single year, with Indian defence products now reaching more than 80 countries. Private industry already contributes about ?42,000 crore to defence production. What makes this moment significant, however, is what is now emerging from Indian factories. In August, Indo-Russian Rifles test-fired the first AK-203 Sher built entirely from Indian components and input materials. A rifle that began as licensed assembly from imported kits now operates on a wholly domestic supply…