India's record Rs 38,424 crore defence exports, explained

For decades India was known as a major importer of weapons. In 2025-26 it exported a record Rs 38,424 crore of defence equipment to more than 80 countries. Inside the number is a twist about who did the selling, a target that needs about 30% more, and a new pitch to partners.

By the AllIndia.news defence desk. Published 2 November 2026. Written from 6 sources, 5 of them official, listed at the end.

From buyer to seller

For decades India was known as a major importer of weapons. On 9 October the Defence Minister described its shift into a credible exporter of sophisticated hardware as a significant achievement.²

Exports matter for more than money. A factory that sells abroad keeps its line busy between Indian orders, and a busy line is easier to speed up in a crisis.

The record

Exports reached Rs 38,424 crore in 2025-26, up 62.66% from Rs 23,622 crore the year before, the Ministry of Defence said. That is about three times the level of five years earlier.¹⁵⁶

Buyers came from more than 80 countries. The number of Indian exporters rose from 128 to 145.¹

The twist inside the number

A year earlier, private firms sold almost twice as much abroad as the government's defence companies.¹

Then it flipped. In 2025-26 public sector companies exported Rs 21,071 crore, up 151%. Private firms exported Rs 17,353 crore, up just 14%. The public sector pulled ahead.¹

The goal: about 30% more by 2029

The minister repeated the target of Rs 50,000 crore in exports by 2029. From the 2025-26 level, that needs about 30% more. He also asked industry to treat research spending as an investment, not a cost.²

From catalogue to partnership

On 30 October in New Delhi, before defence attachés from foreign missions, Minister of State Sanjay Seth released a catalogue of DRDO products in Arabic, Spanish and French. A small thing, and a clear signal of new markets.³

At the same event, Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar spoke of moving beyond buyer and seller towards joint development and co-production, and said invitations are going out for Aero India 2027 in Bengaluru.³

Two days earlier in Cebu, the minister and South Korea's defence minister discussed co-developing military technologies.⁴

What could still go wrong?

The private sector's exports grew far more slowly than the public sector's. Reaching Rs 50,000 crore by 2029 will be easier if both grow.¹²

The next official figure, for 2026-27, will show whether the jump was a trend or a single strong year. The last one was published on 2 April 2026.¹

What to watch next

The 2026-27 export figure.
Whether private sector exports catch up with the public sector's 151% jump.
Aero India 2027, and any co-development deals that follow.

India, long a big arms buyer, sold a record Rs 38,424 crore abroad. The surprise is who sold it