Rajnath Singh said at the NDTV Defence Summit on Sunday that the Ministry will procure Rs 2400 crore in defence technology from Indian startups. He added that 2,000 startups have sprouted since 2018 and that Rs 1500 crore worth of projects are already sanctioned.
Singh highlighted DRDO’s evolution into a national innovation platform that connects universities, startups and industry. He stressed that the technology of all traditional missile systems will now be transferred to Indian manufacturers.
He noted that every Defence Public Sector Undertaking is profitable and that investment proposals of Rs 70,000 crore have surfaced for the Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridors, with Rs 10,000 crore already invested.
India is exporting defence products to more than 100 countries, including Latin America and Europe, and the Ministry is working to strengthen trade ties worldwide.
The Rs 2400 crore procurement will be rolled out immediately, with contracts expected to be signed with startups in the coming months, aiming to cut imports and boost domestic production by 2028.