The National Defence Industries Conclave 2026, organised by the Department of Defence Production on the theme Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, concluded at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi on 20 March 2026 after two days of debate on advanced manufacturing and industry participation in defence production. The event brought together MSMEs, Defence Public Sector Undertakings, private defence firms, innovators, policymakers and academia to discuss strengthening the defence manufacturing ecosystem and accelerating adoption of emerging technologies.

At the valedictory session Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth highlighted the role of MSMEs, start-ups and innovators in strengthening the industrial base and advancing Aatmanirbharta in defence. He said government support would aim to make India a defence manufacturing hub and expressed confidence in targets of Rs 500 billion (Rs 500 bn) of defence exports and Rs 3,000 billion (Rs 3,000 bn) of defence production by 2030. He noted that an allocation of Rs 7,850 billion (Rs 7,850 bn) in the Union Budget 2026-27 would open opportunities for MSMEs.

Secretary Defence Production Sanjeev Kumar summarised the sessions and said the conclave provided a platform for direct engagement between MSMEs, DPSUs, industry leaders and policymakers to identify collaboration, technology development and supply chain integration opportunities. He emphasised that interaction between government, industry and academia helped identify technology gaps and capability requirements across the defence manufacturing value chain. The discussions reinforced the importance of innovation and advanced manufacturing in enhancing defence production capabilities and global competitiveness.

Technical and domain sessions covered artillery, small arms and infantry weapons, defence metallurgy and manufacturing, advanced materials and composites, naval platforms and shipbuilding, armoured vehicles, ammunition and propellants, missile systems and maintenance, repair and overhaul. iDEX and DRDO led sessions focused on smart manufacturing, guidance and navigation systems, propulsion and mobility technologies and semiconductor manufacturing. The industry exhibition showcased automation, artificial intelligence, robotics and additive manufacturing and featured stalls from 20 large defence companies and 24 Indian and international firms. The conclave marked another step towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence and a more robust, globally competitive defence manufacturing ecosystem.