Defence technology
Defence technology · DRDO · indigenous platforms (Tejas, Arjun, INS Vikrant)
8 min read · Updated 2026-05-25
What is India's defence technology base?
India's defence technology base is built on DRDO, the Ministry of Defence's research arm founded in 1958, sixteen defence PSUs and the seven companies the Ordnance Factory Board was split into in 2021. Its flagship indigenous platforms are the Tejas Mk1A fighter, the Arjun tank, the BrahMos and Agni missiles, and INS Vikrant, the first Indian-built aircraft carrier, commissioned on 2 September 2022.
The story
It is 23 February 2024, Hyderabad. PM Modi dedicates the TSAT-1A satellite developed in collaboration with Tata. Later he inaugurates 45 defence facilities built under the Strategic Partnership policy + Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence. Total defence production ~Rs.1.27 lakh crore (2023-24). Defence exports ~Rs.21,000 crore (2023-24), more than 30 times the 2014 baseline.
For UPSC, defence indigenisation + DRDO + Atmanirbhar Bharat defence is heavily tested in Mains GS-III internal security + S&T
- economy.
Why this matters for UPSC
For UPSC:
- Prelims: DRDO + DPSUs + major defence platforms + Atmanirbhar Defence initiatives.
- Mains GS-III: Defence indigenisation + technology transfer + Make in India in defence.