Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh recently said that Operation Sindoor demonstrated how indigenous defence systems are strengthening India’s operational readiness, underscoring the growing impact of self-reliance in the defence sector. Addressing DRDO’s best-performing scientists and technical personnel, he noted that indigenisation has become a national mindset and that Defence Research and Development Organisation is playing a central role in the rapid transformation of India’s defence capabilities.

Emphasising the pace of technological change, the Raksha Mantri said the country must move beyond the idea of ‘survival of the fittest’ to ‘survival of the fastest’, particularly in battlefield technologies. He called upon DRDO scientists to innovate quickly, take calculated risks and focus on speed in decision-making, development and deployment to stay ahead in a technology-driven security environment.

He stressed the need to significantly reduce the time taken from research to prototype, prototype to testing, and testing to deployment, asserting that timely induction into the Armed Forces should be the key measure of success. Highlighting global best practices, he suggested greater co-development with industry from the early design stage to bridge the gap between R&D and production.

Calling for a shift from a monopolistic R&D approach to a collaborative ecosystem, Rajnath Singh urged DRDO to work closely with public sector undertakings, private industry, MSMEs, start-ups and academia to realise the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Citing the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas as a successful example of collaboration, he said many more such achievements are possible through deeper partnerships.

The Raksha Mantri also highlighted the sharp rise in defence exports, which have grown from less than Rs 1,000 crore in 2014 to about Rs 24,000 crore, with a target of Rs 50,000 crore by 2029–30. He encouraged DRDO to factor in export potential at the design stage, particularly in areas such as drones, radars, electronic warfare systems and ammunition, to enhance global competitiveness and strategic partnerships.