Rajnath Singh cites global conflicts to urge self-reliance in drone manufacturing

India must develop a robust ecosystem for drone manufacturing, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday (March 19, 2026), highlighting lessons from the Russia-Ukraine and Iran-Israel conflicts.

Addressing the National Defence Industries Conclave, Mr. Singh said the two conflicts demonstrated the significance of drones and counter-drone technologies.

“As the entire world watches the ongoing conflict involving Russia and Ukraine, along with Iran-Israel, we can clearly see the extremely significant role of drones and counter-drone technologies in future warfare,” he said.

“Today, there is a need to build such a drone manufacturing ecosystem in India in which we are completely self-reliant,” he said.

The conclave was attended by top executives of leading domestic defence manufacturing firms as well as officials of defence public sector undertakings.

“For India’s defence preparedness and strategic autonomy, it is essential that India becomes fully self-reliant in drone manufacturing,” Mr. Singh said.

The Defence Minister also touched upon the growing significance of artificial intelligence, robotics and other new and critical technologies.

“In today’s era, innovations such as automation, artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming manufacturing across the world. Alongside these, simulation technology is also opening up new possibilities,” he said.

Mr. Singh also called upon industry leaders to focus on improving the quality of their products.

“This self-reliance is necessary not only at the product level but also at the component level. That is, from the drone’s mould to the software, engine and batteries, all should be made in India,” he said.

“This task is not easy because in most countries where drones are made, many critical components are imported from a specific country,” he added.