News Brief
"We’ll Bury You In Orders”: Defence Secretary Urges Private Sector To Scale Up Investment In R&D
Akash Prime (Representative Image)
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has exhorted private players to step up research and development (R&D) investments and promised them massive order volumes in return.
He made these remarks at CII’s Annual Business Summit 2025 on Friday (30 May), which was held just days after Operation Sindoor — which showcased India’s homegrown military capabilities on the global stage.
To an audience of leading industrialists, Singh said, “We’ll bury you, the private sector, in orders — but there is a need for greater investment in R&D from your side," News18 reported.
Singh noted that although PSUs and government-led programmes have ensured steady momentum, unlocking India’s full defence potential requires stronger private sector participation.
Operation Sindoor, conducted earlier this month, demonstrated the combat-readiness of Indian-made systems like the Pinaka rocket launchers and Akash missile defence systems, which outperformed Chinese counterparts used by Pakistan as India struck terror sites and airbases in Pakistan and intercepted drones and missiles launched from Pakistan.
The operation’s success has sparked heightened global interest in Indian defence exports, creating an opportunity for private firms to expand production and R&D.
“Last year, for the first time in many years, the capital budget was fully spent. Procurement decisions are happening faster now," he noted.
He added that the ministry has signed contracts worth a record of Rs 2 lakh crore during the last financial year, which is the highest ever achieved and double that of the figures for 2023-24.
He also acknowledged that vestiges of the old “licence raj” still deter private players from entering the defence sector.
Measures such as the concept of deemed licensing beyond a certain time frame to put accountability on concerned government departments, shifting from cost based pricing to competitive bidding, removing legacy aspects such as product reservation for public sector units, slashing procurement timelines by weeding out rigid and redundant procedures, would lead to genuine broadening and diversification of the defence industrial base, he said.
