Defence Sector

Japan plans to use drones, artificial intelligence and new methods of warfare as it adapts its defence strategies to suit changing times, according to details of an 8.9 trillion yen ($55.6 billion) budget request for the coming fiscal year disclosed by the Defence Ministry on Monday. The preliminary total is only a small increase from the 8.8 trillion yen ($55 billion) defence budget requested for this fiscal year. It will be much higher eventually, but further details will come later this year after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government approves the new security and defence strategy aimed at strengthening Japan's counterstrike capability. Under its five-year defence strategy set in 2022, Japan has doubled its defence spending to about 2% of its gross domestic product to build up its Self-Defence Forces' offensive role to counter China's growing assertiveness. Beijing has criticized Japan's defence buildup as "new militarism." Japan now aims to "drastically strengthen its ...

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said India's domestic defence production has nearly quadrupled over the last decade to around Rs 1.80 lakh crore, while exports have surged to nearly Rs 39,000 crore, as the country moves steadily towards self-reliance in the defence sector. Singh made the remarks after laying the foundation stone of a Rs 472-crore facility for the overhaul of T-series battle tanks at the 57-year-old Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ), an ordnance unit here. "Domestic defence (arms and ammunition) production, which stood at Rs 46,000 crore in 2014, has now reached approximately Rs 1.80 lakh crore. Similarly, defence exports have increased from around Rs 1,000 crore in 2014 to nearly Rs 39,000 crore," he said. The government has set a target of achieving defence exports worth Rs 50,000 crore by 2028-29, the defence minister said. "India's defence sector has now taken firm steps towards complete self-reliance. The world's perception of India is changing, and the

The Nifty India Defence index is up 27 per cent on a year-to-date (Y-T-D) basis. It remains higher by 30 per cent in a year.

India is pushing harder to reduce defence imports, with 405 critical items now added to its sixth Positive Indigenisation List. From helicopters, tanks and missiles to radars and ammunition.

Kotak Institutional Equities said that defence companies are well-positioned to benefit from rising geopolitical tensions, accelerating modernisation programmes and an expanding export opportunity.

India's defence sector has a robust order pipeline supported by higher procurement approvals, but faster execution remains critical to convert orders into revenue and sustain growth

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Monday demanded that the allies put forward "clear, concrete and credible plans" to reach the organisation's spending targets at its annual summit in Ankara. The 32 nations agreed last year to invest 5 per cent of their gross domestic product on defence - 3.5 per cent on their defence budgets and 1.5 per cent on roads, bridges and ports so troops and equipment can move faster in times of conflict. Spain endorsed the goal but said that it could fulfill NATO's security requirements without spending so much. Some countries are still struggling to meet the alliance's old target of 2 per cent of GDP. On spending among European allies and Canada, Rutte said that "the evidence we see so far is impressive." He said that NATO estimates that they will invest a combined USD 258 billion more in defense in 2025 and this year than they have in previous years. But the numbers might not be enough to satisfy the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has .

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that after Operation Sindoor, the trust in "made-in-India" defence platforms has received a boost. In his address at an event here, he also reiterated that "today, our defence production has reached over Rs 1.78 lakh crore, and about 8-9 years ago, it stood at approximately Rs 46,000 crore". The Union minister asserted that after Operation Sindoor, "trust in made-in-India defence platforms has got enhanced". Operation Sindoor was India's decisive military action conducted in May 2025 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Several defence platforms built in India had played a key role in it. Singh said, "Defence exports too have reached a record over Rs 38,000 crore, and in 2013-14, it stood at just Rs 686 crore, and it has grown today 57 times. And, I have not sought the full report, but, currently it should be hovering around Rs 40,000 crore, is my estimate." In his address, he also spoke of India's journey in various sectors i

Sectors to watch: As markets enter H2CY2026, analysts expect banks, defence, pharma, power, hotels and auto ancillaries to remain in focus.

Defence stocks to buy: Muthuselvaraj of Mirae Asset Sharekhan explains that Paras Defence is showing an uptrend, trading with higher top, higher bottom pattern after breaking from consolidation zone.

Record defence production and exports, coupled with strong order books and improving execution, are expected to support healthy growth for defence companies in FY27

India's annual defence production touched an all-time high of Rs 1.78 lakh crore in the financial year 2025-26, the defence ministry said on Wednesday. The milestone represents a 15.6 per cent growth over the previous fiscal year's output of Rs 1.54 lakh crore and a staggering 110 per cent increase since 2020-21 when the figure was Rs 84,643 crore, it said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the "remarkable rise" in India's defence production in recent years is the result of the collective efforts of the Department of Defence Production and all other stakeholders. "This upward trajectory is a clear indicator of the country's expanding defence industrial base," he said. "With sustained policy support, several new initiatives, increased private sector participation, and growing export capabilities, the defence production sector is poised for continued acceleration in the years ahead," he said.

India slightly expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2025 and is increasingly focusing on long-range weapons capable of reaching targets across China, according to Sipri

The revised delegation of financial powers is expected to facilitate procurements worth over ₹1.25 trillion and improve operational efficiency across the armed forces

Gen NS Raja Subramani on Sunday took charge as India's new Chief of Defence Staff and his primary mandate will be to implement the ambitious military theaterisation plan and bolster tri-services synergy. He succeeded Gen Anil Chauhan, who signed off after completing his tenure as the country's senior-most military commander on Saturday. Gen Subramani, widely known as an expert on Pakistan and China, was serving as the Military Advisor at the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS). He retired as the Vice Chief of Army Staff on July 31 last year. As Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Subramani's primary task will be to implement the theaterisation model by rolling out integrated military commands. In his illustrious career spanning over 40 years, Gen Subramani served across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles and held numerous Command, Staff and Instructional appointments. He served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff from July 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025 and was General ..

Pabitro Mukherjee of Bajaj Broking believes that Ashok Leyland, Bharat Electronics and Garden Reach Shipbuilders recently saw sideways consolidation and now offer a favourable risk-reward profile.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said no power can stop India, once considered an importer of weapons, from being the biggest exporter in 25-30 years. After inaugurating an ammunition manufacturing unit at Shirdi, Singh said the target is to take the private sector role in defence production to 50 per cent. "The private sector is not just a supplier of nuts and bolts in defence, but also a producer of state-of-the-art weapons systems," he added. Singh said that when the government's vision and the private sector's innovation align, then the country reaches new heights. "All have to work together to make India the hub of munitions and automation," he added.

Bharat Forge will set up India's first private-sector marine gas turbine repair and overhaul facility in Andhra Pradesh's Defence Manufacturing Corridor