India builds the arsenal, others fire first

Defence manufacturing in India has been attracting international orders worth billions of dollars. Exports hit ~23,622 crore (around $2.7 billion) in 2024-25, up 12.04 per cent from ~21,083 crore the previous year, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Some of the most advanced defence systems built in the country are rolling off assembly lines in cities such as Pune and Bengaluru. Demand abroad is rising. Yet, while foreign buyers are signing contracts, India’s armed forces often appear reluctant to place orders — or are slow to act. Bharat Forge’s main artillery platform — the 155-millimetre (mm), 52-calibre Advanced Towed Artillery