NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled key policy initiatives during ‘VIMARSH’, a DRDO-Industry Synergy Meet, in New Delhi on September 15, 2026.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the initiatives include a comprehensive framework to lower technical and financial entry barriers for MSMEs & deep-tech start-ups, offering direct funding, incubation support and dedicated access to DRDO testing facilities. A standardised, secure framework for sharing DRDO-developed software source codes with licensee industries was also launched to accelerate software-defined defence capabilities and obsolescence management.
Nine (09) Licensing Agreements for Transfer of Technology (LAToTS) were handed over to 13 manufacturing partners in the presence of Raksha Mantri to enable commercial production of state-of-the-art systems, as per the release.
According to the release, strategic MoUs were also formally exchanged with the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) and Laghu Udyog Bharati (LUB) to expand industry outreach and foster grassroots participation.
DRDO also signed a contract with the Quality Council of India for the System for Advanced Manufacturing Assessment and Rating (SAMAR) version 2.0 to benchmark the manufacturing maturity of domestic defence enterprises.
In his address, the Defence Minister asserted that the DRDO-Industry collaboration should no longer be limited to production alone, but expanded across the entire value chain encompassing research, design, testing, certification, and manufacturing to transform India into a global hub for defence manufacturing.
“DRDO possesses knowledge and technology, the industry has scale and manufacturing capability, start-ups bring innovation and agility, and the youth hold the dream of a New India. When these four forces converge and move forward together, no goal is impossible,” he said.
Rajnath Singh underlined that the goal of Viksit Bharat is not merely to build an economically strong nation, but to also make it technologically self-reliant, socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and strategically secure.
“By 2047, we must achieve Aatmanirbharta in critical technologies, a significant increase in indigenous content, multi-fold growth in defence exports, and a robust presence for India in global supply chains,” he said.
He enumerated the unprecedented reforms brought about in the defence sector over the past few years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including the notification of Positive Indigenisation Lists, ‘Make in India’ initiative, iDEX, ADITI, and the decision to allocate 25% of the defence R&D budget to the private sector to reduce import dependence and move towards self-reliance.
He added that grants are being provided to start-ups through the Technology Development Fund, and numerous technologies have already reached the production stage. He highlighted that iDEX has also created a new ecosystem for defence innovation, where start-ups are developing solutions based on actual operational requirements.
Describing start-ups and MSMEs as the new flag-bearers of innovation in India, Rajnath Singh stated that these industries play a pivotal role in achieving the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat as they develop components, sub-systems etc. for major defence systems alongside state-of-the-art technologies.
He underscored the need to integrate MSMEs and start-ups as integral parts into the defence supply chain alongside large industries, expressing confidence that the new initiatives would create fresh opportunities for industry.
The Defence Minister highlighted that the new policy initiatives focus on promoting industry-led R&D; providing funding and mentorship to start-ups and MSMEs; fostering academia-industry collaboration; and encouraging investment in futuristic technologies such as AI, quantum computing, hypersonics, and directed energy.
Rajnath Singh stated that as India is rapidly transitioning from a defence importer to an exporter, there are a number of sectors such as drone technology, AI and cyber security where the MSMEs and start-ups can accelerate innovation and elevate India’s technological and strategic strengths to newer heights.
“MSMEs are the backbone of the Indian economy and a critical strength of the defence ecosystem. They need to consistently focus on quality, delivery, innovation, and global standards, while expanding partnerships with large companies,” he said.
Singh emphasised that a nation that possesses its own technology holds the power to shape its own future, adding that self-reliance must become an integral part of the country’s character and attitude.
“Companies that invest in new and emerging technologies today will become the leaders of tomorrow as in future warfare, the country that leads in technology will secure the strategic advantage,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Defence Secretary and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO Rajesh Kumar Singh said VIMARSH 2026, centered on the theme ‘Varta se Vikas’, has been strategically designed to align cutting-edge commercial innovation with national defence readiness and systematically integrate private sector capabilities into the core of the defence ecosystem. This forum serves as a key vehicle for transforming the national security framework from a mere transactional buyer-seller relationship into a collaborative, co-created technology ecosystem, he said.
