India is preparing for a major transformation in its ballistic missile programme by opening the door to deeper private sector participation in the development and production of advanced missile systems. The move reflects the government’s broader push to strengthen domestic defence manufacturing capabilities while reducing dependence on foreign suppliers through its self-reliance strategy.
Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry Annual Business Summit 2026, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said the government is increasingly willing to transfer critical technologies related to various categories of ballistic missiles to private companies. He indicated that authorities now believe the time has come to operationalise such plans, particularly as missile platforms continue to gain strategic importance in modern warfare scenarios.
According to remarks reported by The Business Line, Singh said the government would take steps to ensure significant private sector involvement in the missile segment. His comments mark one of the clearest indications yet that India intends to widen the role of private defence firms beyond conventional manufacturing into sensitive strategic weapons programmes traditionally dominated by state-run defence enterprises.
India’s defence sector has already undergone rapid changes in recent years, with private companies increasingly contributing to the production of artillery systems, drones, armoured vehicles and advanced battlefield technologies. The latest proposal suggests that ballistic missile development could become the next frontier for collaboration between the government and private industry.
The announcement also follows the Indian government’s decision to permit private sector participation in the country’s ambitious fifth-generation fighter jet initiative, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme. Defence analysts view the combined policy shifts as part of a long-term strategy to create a globally competitive domestic military-industrial ecosystem capable of designing and manufacturing advanced weapons platforms within India.
The changing landscape is already visible in the emergence of private defence startups developing indigenous missile and unmanned systems. One such company, IG Defence, a Noida-based defence technology startup, recently unveiled a domestically developed short-range missile system named JWALA. The company said the system is designed for rapid battlefield response and precision targeting, featuring advanced inertial navigation systems, terminal phase guidance optimisation and enhanced targeting accuracy.
The growing role of private industry in strategic defence production is expected to accelerate innovation, reduce procurement timelines and strengthen India’s position as an emerging global defence manufacturing hub. However, experts note that the inclusion of private firms in ballistic missile development will also require strict regulatory oversight, security protocols and careful management of sensitive technologies.
