Rajnath Singh Chairs Defence Modernisation Meet in Jaisalmer

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Defence on 'Modernisation of Indian Defence Forces' at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, on 3 November 2026. Members of Parliament from both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha took part, and the discussion ranged over new security challenges, changing patterns of warfare and the need for a military that is future-ready and quick on its feet.

The targets announced

The Defence Minister set out where the government wants the defence industrial base to reach: defence production worth Rs 3 lakh crore and defence exports worth Rs 50,000 crore by 2029. He placed those goals against the record so far.

On the budget, he said the allocation for the Financial Year 2026-27 was raised to a record Rs 7.85 lakh crore, of which a capital outlay of Rs 2.19 lakh crore is earmarked for modernisation and capital procurement.

Three dimensions of the effort

The Raksha Mantri grouped the steps taken into three heads: Budget and Capital Acquisition with Self-reliance, Technology, and Human Capital. Under the last of these he said the strength of a military rests not only on money and equipment but on the readiness of its people, and that all three Services have kept reworking their structures. He named the Indian Army's new 'Asani', 'Bhairav' and 'Shaktiban' platoons as formations proving effective against present-day operational demands.

Focus areas from the meeting

• Capability development: faster induction of next-generation platforms, weapons and technologies.
• Jointness and integration: stronger tri-service integration and joint operational planning.
• Indigenous manufacturing: more Make-in-India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat work, with industry, start-ups and academia drawn in.
• Emerging technologies: artificial intelligence, autonomous and unmanned systems, cyber, space, electronic warfare and advanced communications.
• Research and innovation: closer work between the Services, DRDO, defence public sector undertakings, private industry and academic institutions.
• Resource optimisation: clear priorities and measurable milestones so that plans turn into operational results.

Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Ex-servicemen Welfare) Sukriti Likhi and Secretary (Defence Finance) Vishvajit Sahay were among the officials present.