THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, AUGUST 15, 2026

India must shed its identity as merely a defence market and emerge as a global supplier of next-generation defence technologies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, making a strong pitch for self-reliance in the sector and asserting that the country must lead in areas such as drones, counter-drone systems and hypersonic defence.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, Modi identified ‘Raksha Shakti’ as one of the seven streams of power essential to building a Viksit Bharat by 2047 and underlined the need for a robust indigenous defence ecosystem capable of meeting emerging threats and serving global requirements.

 “There is no alternative to being self-reliant in defence. When countries around the world are increasingly thinking about their own interests, Bharat cannot simply remain a market for the world. We must develop drones and counter-drone systems, and take leadership in hypersonic defence technologies,” he said.

Reiterating the government's resolve to realise the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Modi said India could no longer afford to depend on other countries for critical capabilities merely because imported products were cheaper or more readily available.

 “There may be many things available in the world that are cheaper and can be obtained more quickly. But relying on them does not build our own capabilities, nor does it test the strength of our capabilities. Therefore, we must strengthen our own capacities and protect our own interests ourselves,” he said.

The Prime Minister said this resolve was reflected in initiatives such as Make in India, Swadeshi and Vocal for Local, which, he added, were increasingly resonating with the people.

He also identified cybersecurity as a critical new frontier of national defence, stressing that India's young population could play a major role in developing capabilities that would serve both the country and the wider world.

Emphasising the changing character of warfare, Modi called for greater focus on indigenous defence equipment while continuously enhancing the preparedness and capabilities of the armed forces.

 “The nature of warfare is changing today; there is no longer a guarantee that conflict will be confined to the borders,” he said, pointing out that modern conflicts could target refineries, banking systems, data centres, infrastructure and factories.

He said India had already embarked on a new approach to protecting itself against such threats, with work on ‘Mission Sudarshan Chakra’ progressing rapidly.

Highlighting the transformation of the defence sector over the past 12 years, Modi said defence production had increased nearly fourfold, while defence exports had surged almost 50 times, with Indian weapons now reaching around 100 countries.

 “Whether the challenge is within or beyond the borders, India is prepared for any situation… India’s reputation is gradually increasing on the global stage,” he said.

The Prime Minister also called for a comprehensive overhaul of the country's civil defence preparedness, saying systems designed in response to the wars of the previous century were no longer adequate for the nature of threats emerging today.

 “Civil defence systems that have developed in our country in accordance with the wars of the last century have become outdated. In the coming days, we will create a vibrant network of civil defence,” he said, adding that citizens would be familiarised with modern systems and a large voluntary civil defence force would be created to respond to contemporary challenges.

Modi further underlined the growing contribution of ‘Nari Shakti’ to nation-building, including in the armed forces, and praised women officers for demonstrating their ability to take on leadership roles in India's military.

 “Our daughters graduating from the NDA are demonstrating the capability to lead the nation’s military with great confidence and authority,” he said.