Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on March 21 said that India will work hard to become the global hub of drone manufacturing in the next few years to ensure strategic autonomy, enhance defence preparedness and make the country Aatmanirbhar in view of the present geopolitical uncertainties.
Rajnath asserted that the ongoing conflicts, ranging from the Russia-Ukraine war to the tensions between Iran and Israel, are proof that drones and counter-drone technologies are destined to play a pivotal role in future warfare, and self-reliance in drone manufacturing is essential not merely at the product level, but at the component level as well. “From the drone’s moulds to its software, engines, and batteries, everything must be manufactured in India. This is no easy task. In most countries where drones are manufactured, a significant number of critical components are currently imported from China,” he pointed out.
Rajnath added that while the creation of any nation’s defence industrial ecosystem relies on the contributions of large industries, MSMEs, start-ups, and innovators, it is equally driven by a clear policy push from the government, tailored to meet the country’s specific defence requirements.
“As of February 2026, approximately 676 start-ups, MSMEs, and individual innovators have joined the defence innovation ecosystem since the inception of iDEX in 2018, and as many as 548 contracts have been signed. Of these, 58 prototypes have received clearance for procurement, valued at around Rs 3,853 crore. Furthermore, 45 procurement contracts have already been signed, worth nearly Rs 2,326 crore,” Rajnath said.
