--- title: "India's record Rs 38,424 crore defence exports, explained" description: "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..." url: "https://allindia.news/defence/india-defence-exports-rs-38424-crore-push-for-partners/index.md" canonical: "https://allindia.news/defence/india-defence-exports-rs-38424-crore-push-for-partners/" published: "2026-11-02T00:50:00+05:30" updated: "2026-11-02T00:30:00+05:30" section: "Defence" language: "en-IN" site: "AllIndia.news" --- # India, long a big arms buyer, sold a record Rs 38,424 crore abroad. The surprise is who sold it _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._ Published 2 November 2026 by the AllIndia.news defence desk. Section: Defence, Industry and exports. ## The numbers - **Rs 38,424 crore**: defence exports in 2025-26, an all time high - **62.66%**: growth over 2024-25 - **80+**: countries buying Indian defence equipment - **Rs 50,000 crore**: export target for 2029 ## 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. [1] [5] [6] 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. [1] [2] 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. ## Watch on official channels - [Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attends ADMM-Plus meeting in Cebu](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlE5I0I7U9A) (DD India) ## Sources 1. [Defence exports touch all-time high of Rs 38,424 crore in FY 2025-26](https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2248124) (PIB, Ministry of Defence, official) 2. [Raksha Mantri presents SIDM Champion Awards 2026](https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2321523) (PIB, Ministry of Defence, official) 3. [VISV-2026: RRM releases foreign language compendium of DRDO products](https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2330472) (PIB, Ministry of Defence, official) 4. [Raksha Mantri meets Republic of Korea Defence Minister at ADMM-Plus in Cebu](https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2329830) (PIB, Ministry of Defence, official) 5. [India defence exports hit Rs 38,424 crore in FY26](https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-defence-exports-hit-rs-38424-crore-in-fy26-rajnath-lauds-62-surge-10614871/) (The Indian Express, news report, context only) 6. [India's defence exports hit record Rs 38,424 crore in 2025-26](https://newsonair.gov.in/indias-defence-exports-hit-record-%e2%82%b938424-crore-in-2025-26-rajnath-singh/) (Akashvani News, official)