“Aatmanirbharta Will Make India Global Ammo Hub,” says Rajnath Singh

• Rajnath Singh inaugurates Medium Caliber Ammunition facility in Nagpur
• First tranche of Guided Pinaka rockets flagged off to Armenia
• Government aims to raise private sector share in defence to 50%+
• India’s defence exports touch record ₹24,000 crore

GG News Bureau
Nagpur, 18th Jan: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to achieving complete Aatmanirbharta in ammunition manufacturing and transforming India into a global defence production hub. Speaking at the inauguration of the Medium Caliber Ammunition Manufacturing Facility of Solar Defence & Aerospace Limited in Nagpur, he said self-reliance in defence is no longer a choice but a strategic necessity.

The newly inaugurated fully automated plant will manufacture 30mm ammunition extensively used by the Indian Army and Navy. During his visit, Rajnath Singh also toured the Pinaka rocket facility and flagged off the first tranche of Guided Pinaka rockets to Armenia — marking a major milestone in India’s defence exports.

Lauding the growing role of the private sector, the Raksha Mantri said India is now producing high-quality, reliable ammunition domestically. He cited the 2021 induction of the indigenously made Multi-Mode Hand Grenade and highlighted the successful use of Solar Group’s Nagastra drones during Operation Sindoor, calling it proof of India’s evolving combat capabilities.

He further referred to the successful test of the ‘Bhargavastra’ Counter Drone System, saying it demonstrated the technological strength of Indian private firms. According to him, the export of Pinaka missiles shows that India is rapidly shifting from a defence importer to a credible exporter.

Rajnath Singh warned that modern warfare is no longer limited to borders, stressing that conflicts now extend to energy, trade, supply chains, technology, and information warfare. In this context, he said increased private sector participation in manufacturing and R&D is “the need of the hour.”

The Raksha Mantri reiterated the government’s target to raise the private sector’s share in defence manufacturing to 50% or more in the near future. He said the Centre is gradually indigenising platforms, systems, and subsystems, with a minimum 50% indigenous content mandated where full local production is not yet possible.

Highlighting progress, he noted that India’s domestic defence production has surged from ₹46,425 crore in 2014 to about ₹1.51 lakh crore today, with over ₹33,000 crore coming from the private sector. Defence exports have also jumped from under ₹1,000 crore a decade ago to ₹24,000 crore now.

Rajnath Singh described India’s mix of strong public sector units and a dynamic private defence industry as a “rare advantage.” He called for deeper synergy between the two, saying they must complement each other to strengthen national security and global competitiveness.

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and senior representatives of Solar Defence & Aerospace Limited were present at the event.