PM Modi urges India to lead in hypersonic and next-gen defence tech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared defence power the fifth pillar of his “Shakti Ki Saptadhara” vision during his address from the Red Fort on India’s 80th Independence Day. He emphasised the importance of self-reliance in defence and called for India to become a global.

India has been advancing its indigenous hypersonic weapons programme through the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), developing hypersonic glide and cruise missile technologies alongside long-range strike systems and advanced propulsion. Highlighting defence manufacturing growth, Modi noted, “In the last 12 years, defence production.

What Happened

He attributed this surge to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives, which have enabled India to meet its security needs while becoming a defence manufacturing and exporting hub. Singh emphasised ongoing modernisation efforts including increased defence spending, capital expenditure, and.

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reported that annual defence production reached a record ₹1.78 lakh crore in the 2025-26 financial year, up from ₹46,000 crore in 2014.

• According to the Ministry of Defence, defence production grew by 15.6% in 2024-25 and by 110% since 2020-21, with indigenous production nearly quadrupling since 2013-14.

• Defence exports hit a record ₹38,424 crore in 2025-26, with exports now reaching over 80 countries.

Key Details

He highlighted recent successful tests of advanced systems such as the Long-Range Land Attack Cruise Missile, RudraM-II Air-to-Surface Missile, Naval Anti-Ship Missile-SR, and Pinaka Long-Range Guided Rocket. Defence power is one of seven strengths in Modi’s “Shakti Ki Saptadhara” vision, which includes.

• Singh announced a target of ₹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029.

• The private sector has become an important contributor, accounting for 24% of defence production in 2025-26, while Defence Public Sector Undertakings and other public sectors contributed around 76%.

• Regarding hypersonic technology, Singh noted the successful test of an active-cooled full-scale scramjet combustor for over 1,200 seconds, placing India among a select group of nations capable of developing hypersonic missile technology.

Why It Matters

On manufacturing power, Modi called for establishing a complete value chain from design to manufacturing to position India as a trusted global supply chain partner. “We must rise to global standards of cost, quality and scale,” he said.

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• The vision’s other pillars include Gati Shakti, focused on high-speed connectivity and infrastructure; the green and blue economy covering renewable energy and ocean technology; and soft power, exemplified by yoga’s global reach.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by The News Mill as more details emerge