India's Defence Production Reaches a Record High

India's defence manufacturing sector has achieved a record milestone, reflecting the country's growing self-reliance in strategic production. During the 2025–26 financial year, the value of domestic defence production reached ₹1.78 lakh crore, while defence exports touched ₹38,000 crore, according to the Defence MSME Forum organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Hyderabad. Senior government officials, defence industry leaders and manufacturing experts highlighted India's rapid progress in defence production and exports during the conference.

The forum revealed that India currently has more than 7,000 defence MSMEs, with nearly 1,700 located in Telangana alone. Officials said the Telangana government is strengthening the defence, aerospace and drone ecosystem through dedicated industrial parks and advanced common testing facilities. MIDHANI Chairman and Managing Director S.V.S. Narayana Murthy urged MSMEs to manufacture critical raw materials domestically, adding that the company produces over 500 special alloys for ISRO, DRDO and aerospace programmes while sourcing more than half of its procurement from MSMEs.