Bengal Governor RN Ravi highlights India's record defence exports, pushes for military strength by 2047

He said India must become militarily strong by 2047 to effectively deter adversaries and safeguard its national interests.

“By 2047, India must be militarily strong so that it can deter any adversaries from any misadventure,” Ravi said while attending an event hosted by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata.

Speaking on the transformation of the defence sector, the Governor said previous governments had failed to modernise the country’s ordnance factories due to the influence of labour unions.

“Earlier governments did not dare to modernise them, as labour unions at the Ordnance Factories kept them under hostage. Today, they have been reconstituted. Our Ordnance Factories are doing wonders,” he said, highlighting the changes brought about by the Centre since 2014.

According to the Ministry of Defence, India’s defence exports touched an all-time high of Rs 38,424 crore in FY 2025-26, registering a sharp increase of Rs 14,802 crore, or 62.66 per cent, from Rs 23,622 crore recorded in the previous financial year.

“Earlier, our defence exports were hardly Rs 1,500 crore or Rs 1,600 crore. Last year, we crossed the Rs 38,424 crore mark,” Ravi said.

He added that the defence sector is undergoing a significant transformation, stressing that no nation can afford to remain militarily weak.

Highlighting the growing role of private industry in defence manufacturing and exports, Ravi said, “Today, 45 per cent of India’s defence exports are done by the private sector.”

In an earlier released statement, the Ministry of Defence had said Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and private companies contributed 54.84 per cent and 45.16 per cent, respectively, to the country’s defence exports during FY 2025-26.

DPSU exports surged by 151 per cent compared to the previous fiscal year, while private-sector exports grew by 14 per cent. In value terms, private companies accounted for defence exports worth Rs 17,353 crore, while DPSUs contributed Rs 21,071 crore. In FY 2024-25, the corresponding figures stood at Rs 15,233 crore and Rs 8,389 crore, respectively.

The Ministry further stated that India exported defence equipment to more than 80 countries during FY 2025-26. The number of defence exporters also increased to 145 from 128 in the previous fiscal year, reflecting a growth of 13.3 per cent.

(Reporting by Supriyo Hazra)