India A Global Hub For Aerospace Components & Defence: Rajnath

Bengaluru: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while inaugurating Asia’s largest five-day air show - ‘Aero India 2025’ - declared that “India has become a globally preferred destination for aerospace components and complex system assembly.” He emphasized that India is undergoing a transformational phase, moving towards becoming a developed nation. “From physical and digital infrastructure to the startup ecosystem, industrial support base, MSMEs, and innovation, India has taken a giant leap forward,” he said.

Highlighting the rapid advancements in the defence sector, Singh stated, “A wave of innovation is sweeping across. Our research and development, MSMEs, scientists, and engineers are not just giving India a competitive edge but are proving to be world-class.”

He credited this progress to a strategic and sustained roadmap laid out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. “A thriving defence industry ecosystem has emerged in India due to well-planned policies and reforms,” he noted.

Earlier, the defence sector was viewed merely as a national security necessity rather than a key economic contributor. However, Singh pointed out that the past decade has seen a paradigm shift. “We have positioned the defence industry on par with agriculture, infrastructure, and manufacturing, integrating it into the broader economy,” he asserted. Singh highlighted the increasing budgetary allocations for defence. “For the financial year 2025-26, a record Rs6.81 lakh crore has been allocated, marking a 9.53 per cent increase over the previous year. The defence capital budget alone has risen to Rs1.80 lakh crore,” he stated.