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News18 DEFCON 2026: Decoding India’s Next Defence Transition
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News18•07-10-2026, 15:42
News18 DEFCON 2026: Decoding India’s Next Defence Transition
- •News18 DEFCON 2026, in association with The Chanakya Dialogues, brought together military leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to examine India's next defence transformation phase.
- •Union Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh emphasized that true national security relies on self-reliance, driving the vision to design, develop, and manufacture in India.
- •Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani highlighted the rapid evolution of modern warfare and the critical need for industrial systems to adapt quickly.
- •Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh stressed the importance of jointness across capability planning, acquisition, and operational power application.
- •Discussions also explored information warfare, military diplomacy, regional industrial ecosystems, and the necessity of sustaining combat capabilities during crises.
Key Questions Answered
Defence production reached a record level of ₹1.78 lakh crore in FY2025–26, while defence exports reached an all-time high of ₹38,424 crore.
The private sector currently accounts for 24% of defence production, reflecting its growing role and expanding footprint in the country's defence industrial ecosystem.
Union Minister for Defence Shri Rajnath Singh placed self-reliance firmly within the national security framework, emphasizing the vision to design, develop, and manufacture in India.
