India Aims to Increase Private Sector Role in Defence to 50%, Says MoS Defence Sanjay Seth at Prayagraj Symposium
Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth on Thursday said that India’s defence sector is steadily moving towards self-reliance with growing participation from the private sector.
Addressing the second day of the North Tech Symposium in Prayagraj, the minister announced that the government plans to increase private sector participation in defence production from the current 23 per cent to nearly 50 per cent in the coming years.
The event, organised at the Cobra Auditorium in New Cantt, was jointly hosted by the Northern and Central Commands of the Indian Army along with the Indian Defence Manufacturers Society.
The symposium was themed “Raksha Triveni Sangam – Confluence of Technology, Industry and Military Excellence.”
Speaking to representatives of defence manufacturing companies, Sanjay Seth said India’s goal is not merely to reduce imports in the defence sector but to emerge as a strong exporter of military equipment and advanced defence technologies.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently advocated for greater private sector involvement in strategic industries, particularly defence manufacturing.
According to the minister, the Prayagraj symposium has been organised with the objective of encouraging innovation and strengthening collaboration between the armed forces, industry players, startups, and MSMEs.
“The defence sector must become stronger through innovation and technological advancement.
India has to become fully self-reliant in defence production, and for that, MSMEs, startups, and private companies will have to play a major role,” he said.
Seth highlighted that the government is already extending financial support and policy assistance to companies engaged in defence manufacturing.
He added that defence production figures in India have seen significant growth in recent years, reflecting the success of the government’s push towards indigenous manufacturing under the broader vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The minister stressed that India can no longer afford to wait for imported technologies and must develop its own advanced systems and solutions domestically.
“Today, we do not need to depend on foreign nations for every technological advancement.
We are capable of developing our own technologies and innovations,” he said, adding that technological innovation by Indian companies would directly strengthen the morale and operational capabilities of Indian soldiers.
Referring to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Seth said defence companies must continue experimenting and innovating because reliance on outdated technologies for long periods is no longer practical in modern warfare.
He also underlined the enormous potential of India’s startup and MSME ecosystem.
According to the minister, India currently has nearly seven crore MSMEs and around 10 lakh startups, of which nearly 16,000 MSMEs are already engaged in defence-related manufacturing and services.
Seth urged more startups and small enterprises to enter the defence sector, saying their participation would not only boost domestic manufacturing but also help India emerge as a global defence technology hub.
