In the wake of a high-profile military strike on Pakistan earlier this year, India is aggressively advancing its ambitions to become a global defence exporter. According to a detailed report by the Financial Times, the post-strike momentum from Operation Sindoor — which saw Indian-made drones and BrahMos missiles deployed deep into Pakistani territory — has emboldened New Delhi’s push to sell arms abroad, a move central to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broader “Make in India” manufacturing agenda.
India’s defence minister, Rajnath Singh, recently declared that the international appetite for Indian weaponry has grown significantly following the operation, praising the “valour” and performance of locally manufactured systems. He revealed India’s aim to more than double defence exports to ₹500 billion (about $5.8 billion) by 2029, up from ₹236 billion in the last financial year.
While India has historically ranked among the world’s largest arms importers, purchasing from the U.S., France, Israel, and Russia, recent geopolitical and economic shifts — coupled with a desire for strategic autonomy — have triggered a robust move toward indigenous production and exports.
This transformation is visible across both state-owned giants and nimble private start-ups. Among the most high-profile players is Raphe mPhibr, a drone start-up that raised $100 million in June, led by U.S. venture capital firm General Catalyst. The company’s vertical take-off, swarm-capable drones — including the mR10 and mR10-IC — were reportedly among those used in Operation Sindoor, and are now being marketed for export. Raphe’s near-$1 billion valuation, as reported by the Financial Times, reflects surging confidence in India’s tech-forward military hardware.
Meanwhile, legacy state-owned enterprises such as BrahMos Aerospace and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) continue to play a central role in India’s export ambitions. BrahMos missiles, co-developed with Russia, have already been sold to the Philippines for $375 million and are now being pitched to Vietnam and Indonesia. BEL’s Akash air defence systems and Swathi radars have found buyers in Armenia, which has also added Pinaka rockets to its growing arsenal of Indian-made arms.
This broader export strategy is reinforced by India’s powerful industrial groups. Adani Defence and Aerospace, Tata, Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro, and Bharat Forge are all rapidly expanding their defence arms. Adani’s drone systems, developed in partnership with Israel’s Elbit Systems, featured prominently during the cross-border strike. In a recent shareholder meeting, group chairman Gautam Adani stated, “Our drones became the eyes in the skies as well as the swords of attack.”
Bharat Forge, a manufacturer of artillery systems including howitzers, reported that most of its $181 million in defence revenue last year came from exports, with new international markets expected to open soon. Similarly, Solar Industries India, which began as an explosives producer, now manufactures UAVs and other advanced weaponry. Its CEO Manish Nuwal said international orders already make up half of the company’s $1.7 billion order book.
Despite these successes, India has yet to secure a marquee defence contract in competitive global tenders. As defence analyst Jon Grevatt told the Financial Times, “Where Indian platform sales have been achieved, it has been through government-to-government deals.” India’s bid to supply Tejas light combat aircraft to Malaysia, for instance, was unsuccessful, losing out to South Korea’s more established aerospace sector.
Still, Modi remains undeterred. During a speech in Kanpur, a growing defence manufacturing hub, he stated, “The world saw a glimpse of ‘Make in India’ and indigenous weapon systems in Operation Sindoor… BrahMos missiles caused massive destruction deep inside enemy territory.”
