India shifts gears on defense: Less foreign reliance, more indigenization
India's defense game plan is getting a major update—think less about juggling US and Russia ties, more about building stuff at home.
Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh just shared that the focus now is on indigenization and teaming up with countries willing to actually share key tech.
According to Singh, Prime Minister Modi is also backing this push to cut down on relying too much on foreign military gear.
Defense contracts worth ₹1.5 lakh crore lined up
To make this happen, India's lining up defense contracts worth ₹1.5 lakh crore (about $18 billion), following last year's record ₹2.09 lakh crore spend.
While talks with the US for next-gen fighter jets are still ongoing, India's boosting its air fleet with advanced fourth-generation planes for now.
As Singh put it, the main focus is on indigenisation and local production—a clear sign that self-reliance is taking center stage in India's defense future.