New Delhi, Nov 25: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said India must adopt a “proactive” and future-ready outlook amid rapidly evolving geopolitics, stressing that the country is entering a “golden era of defence innovation” driven by young entrepreneurs and innovators.
Addressing the Navy’s flagship innovation and indigenisation event ‘Swavlamban 2025’ at the Manekshaw Centre, Singh said India cannot afford a reactive approach in a world where technology, maritime challenges and strategic equations are changing swiftly. The two-day event concludes on Wednesday.
He called for a “bigger, bolder, faster” growth mode in the defence ecosystem and urged the private sector to embrace a “profit-plus” approach—balancing business goals with national interest and strategic responsibility. Singh said the rise of innovators and start-ups has strengthened his confidence that India is emerging not just as a buyer but as a creator and leader in defence technologies.
The minister emphasised minimising import dependence, pointing to the heavy long-term cost of maintenance, repairs, overhauls and spare parts for foreign equipment. He urged private industry to significantly expand production, technology development, design and innovation, and to aim for 50 per cent or more contribution to India’s defence manufacturing in the coming years.
Calling on companies to identify the next major platforms and disruptive technologies, Singh said, “India is changing, the defence sector is changing, geopolitics is changing. We too must change our thinking. This is not the time to retreat, but to forge ahead.”
Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat and several defence innovators attended the event. Before speaking, Singh visited the exhibition hall and interacted with participants.
Admiral Tripathi noted Swavlamban’s rapid expansion, growing from 800 participants in its first edition to 3,000 last year. He said the Navy accounts for 35 per cent of the 565 iDEX challenges announced so far, adding that products developed through start-ups and MSMEs have strengthened naval capabilities.
The event showcased advanced technologies including AI, autonomous systems, quantum computing, communication tools, stealth solutions and smart munitions. Nearly 80 MSMEs and start-ups displayed prototypes aligned with operational needs of the Navy.
During the event, an MoU was signed between the Navy, IIT-Madras and Apollo Micro Systems for indigenous development of advanced armaments. Singh also launched SARATHI, a comprehensive digital tool for naval armament inspection and indigenisation, developed by C-DAC Chennai. A naval hackathon, ‘Innovathon’, was also launched, and 10 iDEX winners were felicitated.
