Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declared on Thursday (October 16, 2025) that ‘Operation Sindoor’ stands as a paramount example of India’s self-reliance in the defence sector. He emphasized that the overwhelming majority of equipment utilized by the armed forces during this operation was indigenously produced.
Mr. Singh delivered his remarks at the 6th convocation ceremony of the Symbiosis Skills & Professional University in Pune. He stated, “We have diligently embarked on a path to achieve self-reliance (atmanirbhar) in our defence capabilities. The initial phase presented considerable challenges as we aimed to revolutionize the entire system. For decades since our Independence, India was heavily dependent on foreign nations for military hardware. Acquiring defence equipment from abroad had become a necessity, with domestic production being almost non-existent.”
The Minister asserted that India has now “shattered the longstanding barrier” of foreign dependency that had persisted since its independence. “We have provided a robust impetus to the manufacturing of weapons within our own country. This was by no means an easy task, as the nation had grown accustomed to a ‘comfort zone’ when it came to defence procurement. We had developed a dependency on purchasing arms from other countries,” he elaborated.
Mr. Singh pointed out that there was a noticeable absence of both the “political will” and a supportive legal framework to foster domestic defence manufacturing. Furthermore, he observed that the nation’s youth lacked the crucial inspiration needed to propel India towards self-sufficiency in this critical sector.
“The circumstances were far from favorable; in fact, they were quite adverse. Yet, we pressed on tirelessly. We implemented every conceivable measure to champion defence manufacturing, and today, those dedicated efforts are visibly bearing fruit,” he affirmed.
“You must have witnessed the exceptional courage of our armed forces during Operation Sindoor. This operation serves as the pinnacle of self-reliance in India’s defence sector, given that the majority of the equipment employed by our forces was proudly indigenous,” he added.
India initiated Operation Sindoor in May of this year, following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack in April, which resulted in the loss of 26 lives.