Defense Minister Rajnath Singh Presents SIDM Champion Awards 2026, Praises Record Growth in Defense Exports

Defense Minister Shri Rajnath Singh presented the 'SIDM Champion Awards 2026' during the eighth annual session of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) on October 9, 2026, in New Delhi. A total of 15 Champion Awards were presented to recognize the achievements of various organizations in the fields of indigenous technology development, product innovation, design, creation of import substitutes, manufacturing excellence, and exports.

The theme of the event focused on "Sovereign Capabilities, Contested Borders: Enhancing India's Strategic Autonomy in Turbulent Times." The Defense Minister emphasized that national security now depends on the country's capability to design, develop, and manufacture the technology and equipment essential for its armed forces. He expressed confidence that India's talented manpower and industrial capacities would help the nation become one of the world's leading defense manufacturing hubs.

Discussing defense export figures, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that India's defense exports reached a record ₹38,424 crore in the 2025-26 financial year, representing an increase of more than 60 percent compared to the previous financial year. He reiterated the commitment to increase defense exports to ₹50,000 crore by the year 2029.

Placing special emphasis on the role of the private sector, the Defense Minister mentioned the goal of increasing the private sector's share in defense production from the current approximately 24 percent to 50 percent. He urged the industry to view expenditure on Research and Development (R&D) as an investment that strengthens military readiness and national security.

Referring to the changing nature of warfare, he noted the growing role of drones, missiles, air defense systems, and software and communication technologies in modern combat. Mentioning 'Operation Sindoor', he stated that there would be a need to rapidly scale up the capacity of domestic production units when necessary.

The event highlighted policy reforms undertaken by the government to expand the capabilities of the private defense industry, including the defense acquisition process, defense procurement manuals, positive indigenization lists, the Srijan portal, and the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative. The program was attended by several senior officials and heads of defense companies, including Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Director General (Acquisitions) Shri A. Anbarasu, SIDM Founder President Shri Baba Kalyani, and President Shri Arun Ramchandani.