India’s defence exports jump 62.6% to ?38,424 crore in FY26, expand to 80+ countries

New Delhi — India’s defence exports touched a record ?38,424 crore in the financial year 2025–26, registering a sharp 62.66 per cent rise from ?23,622 crore in the previous fiscal, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defence on Thursday.

Both public and private players contributed to the surge, with Defence Public Sector Undertakings accounting for 54.84 per cent of exports, while private companies contributed 45.16 per cent. The achievement aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of positioning India among the world’s leading defence exporters.

Exports from DPSUs saw a remarkable 151 per cent jump compared to last year, while private sector firms recorded a steady 14 per cent increase. In value terms, private companies exported defence equipment worth ?17,353 crore, whereas DPSUs contributed ?21,071 crore. In the previous financial year, their contributions stood at ?15,233 crore and ?8,389 crore respectively.

India is now exporting defence equipment and systems to more than 80 countries, reflecting growing global acceptance of domestically manufactured products. The number of exporters also increased from 128 to 145 — a rise of 13.3 per cent — highlighting the expanding footprint of the Indian defence industry in global supply chains. 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the performance of the Department of Defence Production and industry stakeholders, stating that India is steadily moving toward becoming a global manufacturing hub for defence equipment.

He added that reforms aimed at improving ease of doing business and supporting exporters have helped build a performance-driven and globally competitive defence ecosystem.
 

With inputs from IANS