Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said India needs to reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers and make more of its defence equipment at home, from semiconductor chips and small components to complete weapon systems and naval warships.
Addressing the NDTV Defence Summit 2026, Singh said India's ability to make and control critical parts of the defence supply chain would be key to achieving strategic autonomy. “Our philosophy is simple: why buy what can be produced here?” he said.
“From chips to ships, from screws to complete weapon systems, this will take India to strategic autonomy,” Singh said, adding that indigenous design, innovation and adaptation, along with control over critical technologies, would be essential to building long-term defence capabilities.
Singh also said the government had introduced “groundbreaking and structural reforms” to strengthen domestic defence manufacturing and that the sector had gained momentum.
“We are not limited to meeting current needs; we are self-reliant and future oriented,” he said.
Drawing parallel with the evolution of telecommunications from 2G to 5G, Singh said warfare has also entered a fifth-generation phase. He also talked about the growing importance of artificial intelligence. "Indigenous quantum technology is being promoted, and the policy framework has also been strengthened. India is strengthening its capabilities for contact, non-contact, kinetic, and non-kinetic warfare. Energy resources have been diversified," he added.
He said future battlefields would span multiple domains and become increasingly technology-driven, with countries possessing technological advantages likely to have greater capabilities in modern warfare.
Singh also highlighted the role of young Indians, saying ,"Today, India's youth are working on AI. They are building drones, working on robotics, developing quantum technologies. They are creating cyber security solutions. They are working on autonomous systems. In other words, India's youth are no longer just preparing for future jobs. They are preparing technology for India's future wars."
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Army Chief Dhiraj Seth described modern conflicts as "wars with pause," at the NDTV Defence Summit, noting technology shortens individual battles while extending overall warfare. He asserted that during prolonged crises, Atmanirbharata (self-reliance) becomes the decisive factor for victory, ensuring unconstrained operational endurance without reliance on foreign suppliers.
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