# Surging Missile Production Becomes Priority as Defence Secretary Points to Ukraine Benchmark

> Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh stressed that India cannot sustain its security on an annual output of 200 or 300 missiles while Ukraine produces 100 every month. Following Operation Sindoor and shifting global conflicts, India is opening conventional missile tech to private industry and expanding joint theatre commands.

**Type:** article · **Category:** India · **Published:** 2026-09-24 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/national/hathiyara-utpadana-men-bhari-raphtara-ki-darakara-ukraine-ke-mukabale-bharatiya-misaila-nirmana-para-defence-secretary-rajesh-kuma-37834 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Rajesh Kumar Singh, Missile Production, Ministry of Defence, Operation Sindoor, Theatre Commands, iDEX, Defence Sector

Recent global warfare has laid bare the critical reality of military supply chains, demonstrating that standing armed forces alone cannot guarantee security without an expansive, resilient domestic manufacturing base behind them. Modern military engagements demand not merely sophisticated weaponry, but factories capable of sustaining uninterrupted production during prolonged attrition. In light of these geopolitical shifts, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh delivered a candid evaluation of the nation's military-industrial capabilities. He noted that if war-ravaged Ukraine can fabricate 100 missiles every single month, India cannot remain content with rolling out merely 200 or 300 missiles across an entire year. In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor and amid heightened worldwide instability, the country's strategic requirements have evolved dramatically, making a multifold ramp-up in missile manufacturing an immediate imperative.

## Strategic Imperatives Drawn from Global Battles
The protracted armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, alongside confrontations between Iran and the United States, has reaffirmed that securing victory in high-intensity wars necessitates vast ammunition reserves. A distinct operational challenge observed across these theaters is the severe cost asymmetry, where militaries are frequently forced to deploy exorbitant defence systems to neutralize inexpensive offensive weapons and drones, drastically driving up wartime expenditures. Absorbing these vital lessons, India is actively recalibrating its operational blueprint. Observing a nation under active bombardment manage a monthly output of 100 missiles has made it apparent that India must drastically elevate its conventional missile production volume to deter multi-front adversaries effectively.

## Opening Missile Tech to Private Industry and Startups
Historically, indigenous military production relied almost entirely on a handful of state-owned entities, which inevitably constrained manufacturing scale and turnaround times. To dismantle these bottlenecks, conventional missile technology has now been thrown open to private enterprise. Moving away from reliance on solitary industrial partners, the objective is to enlist multiple capable commercial manufacturers to produce large volumes of conventional missiles concurrently. Parallel to this industrial outreach, the Innovations for Defence Excellence platform, widely known as iDEX, has already granted contracts valued at 2,800 crore rupees to startups. This initiative seeks to channel private-sector ingenuity directly into cutting-edge weapon development, building depth across the domestic defence industrial base.

## The Vulnerability of Foreign Dependence and Strategic Autonomy
Excessive reliance on imported defence hardware remains a strategic liability, particularly when foreign partners act unpredictably during moments of acute crisis. While domestic manufacturing has achieved total self-reliance in conventional sectors such as artillery, critical dependencies persist in sophisticated segments, most notably jet engines for fighter aircraft, where collaboration with global partners remains indispensable. Overcoming these technological gaps will require an integrated ecosystem encompassing scientists, enterprise leaders, and military planners working in concert, ensuring that domestic industrial depth mirrors frontline military readiness.

## Preserving Military Identity Across Joint Theatre Commands
Addressing lingering internal concerns regarding the creation of integrated theatre commands, assurances were given that operational integration will never erode the distinct heritage and institutional identity of the individual armed services. Structural integration is focusing primarily on streamlining logistical pipelines, joint operational doctrine, and synchronized combat training across the army, navy, and air force. By establishing unified commands, India aims to transform its three services into an integrated, far more lethal fighting force primed for high-tech future warfare.

## What this means for you
Accelerating missile manufacturing and engaging private industry will drastically reinforce national defence capabilities while invigorating domestic engineering sectors.

- **Across India:** Reducing reliance on foreign military imports safeguards strategic sovereignty during geopolitical standoffs. A fortified domestic supply line also ensures armed forces face no sudden ammunition shortages during sustained combat.
- **For industry and jobs:** Allocating contracts worth 2,800 crore rupees to startups and opening missile manufacturing creates high-skilled engineering jobs. Private manufacturing vendors and technology firms will gain direct access to long-term defence contracts.
- **For public expenditure:** Indigenizing weapon systems curtails expensive foreign currency outflows on imported arms. Savings generated from cost-effective domestic production can be redirected toward vital public infrastructure programs.
- **For military operations:** Integrating operational commands will dramatically sharpen responsiveness and operational coordination during crises. Synchronized logistical pipelines will enable the armed services to conduct coordinated, multidomain missions seamlessly.

## Why this happened
Recent global warfare highlighted that military endurance depends fundamentally on domestic manufacturing depth and sustained ammunition production rather than stockpiles alone.

- **High ammunition expenditure rates:** Engagements in Ukraine and the Middle East demonstrated that modern high-intensity warfare consumes munitions at unprecedented speeds. An annual production ceiling of 200 to 300 missiles leaves an armed force vulnerable during prolonged conflicts.
- **Operational cost asymmetries:** Intercepting low-cost drones and munitions with high-end surface-to-air missiles rapidly depletes expensive stockpiles and strains state budgets. Mass-producing affordable conventional missiles domestically is essential to balance this financial equation.
- **Strategic supply vulnerabilities:** Heavy reliance on international weapon suppliers introduces extreme risks if foreign partners shift stances during crises. Transferring conventional missile manufacturing to private firms directly mitigates dependence on unpredictable overseas suppliers.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. What comparison did the Defence Secretary make regarding Ukraine's missile output?
He pointed out that Ukraine produces 100 missiles every month under active war conditions, meaning India's annual output of 200 to 300 missiles is far from acceptable.

### 2. Why has the government opened conventional missile technology to private firms?
The administration aims to end reliance on a few state-owned entities by enlisting multiple private manufacturers to mass-produce missiles at scale.

### 3. What is the total value of contracts awarded under the iDEX initiative?
Contracts totaling 2,800 crore rupees have been awarded under the iDEX framework to support startups developing advanced military hardware.

### 4. Where has India achieved defence self-reliance and where does dependence remain?
India has attained full self-reliance in artillery manufacturing, but critical segments like fighter jet engines still require collaboration with international partners.

### 5. Will joint theatre commands dismantle the individual identities of the armed services?
The Defence Secretary clarified that integration will not dissolve the unique identities of the army, navy, or air force, but will align logistics and training.

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