A decade ago, India’s armed forces were often described as “strong in numbers, weak in teeth.” Procurement delays, red tape, and an overdependence on foreign suppliers had turned the country into the world’s largest importer of arms. Ten years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi have rewritten that script. From self-reliance in defence production to precision firepower, from border resilience to maritime reach, India today stands transformed — a regional powerhouse ready to meet threats on land, air, sea, and even in space.
Modi’s first significant step was to fix the fundamentals — budgets and priorities. Defence spending has consistently risen in absolute terms, but what marks the difference is how the money is spent. Earlier, over 70 percent of the budget went to salaries and pensions, leaving little for modernization. Today, nearly one-third of the outlay is capital expenditure — used for equipment, infrastructure, and cutting-edge technology.
The defence budget for 2024–25 crossed ₹6.2 lakh crore, with record allocations for modernization. More importantly, the shift from dependency to self-reliance has been embedded as policy through the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, which turned India’s defence ecosystem from a lethargic public-sector monopoly into a dynamic mix of public and private innovation.
When Modi took office in 2014, India was the world’s largest arms importer, accounting for over 14 percent of global imports. A decade later, that figure has dropped sharply, while exports have surged more than 15 times — from ₹900 crore in 2014 to over ₹21,000 crore in 2023–24. The once-importing nation now sells advanced weaponry to 85 countries, including Southeast Asian and African partners.
The poster child of this turnaround is the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile — a joint venture with Russia, but increasingly Indian in manufacturing and technology. The landmark $375 million deal with the Philippines in 2022 marked India’s entry into the global missile export market, and more such deals with Vietnam, Indonesia, and other nations are in the pipeline. Beyond BrahMos, India is exporting radars, drones, bulletproof jackets, artillery shells, and electronic systems — testimony to the quiet revolution in Indian defence manufacturing.
The Indian Army has seen major upgrades in its mobility, surveillance, and firepower. Indigenous artillery guns like Dhanush and ATAGS, light tanks, and modern assault rifles are replacing older imports. High-altitude warfare capabilities have been boosted, particularly after the Galwan clash in 2020, with better logistics and rapid deployment infrastructure across the LAC.
The Indian Air Force, meanwhile, is evolving into a technology-driven force. The induction of Rafale fighters, upgrades to Su-30MKIs, and the production of indigenous Tejas aircraft mark a blend of imported precision and local innovation. Indigenous drones, advanced radars, and missile systems like Akash and Astra are strengthening India’s air defence shield.
At sea, the Indian Navy is witnessing its most ambitious expansion. The commissioning of the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant was a landmark moment, showcasing India’s shipbuilding prowess. The Navy’s new destroyers (Visakhapatnam-class), submarines (Kalvari-class), and maritime patrol aircraft are part of a strategy that seeks not just to defend India’s coastline but to project power across the Indian Ocean Region. With growing Chinese naval activity in the Indo-Pacific, India’s maritime assertiveness is no longer reactive — it’s proactive and strategic.
National security today extends beyond conventional warfare. India’s defence establishment under Modi has embraced cyber, electronic, and space warfare capabilities. The successful anti-satellite (ASAT) test in 2019 — Mission Shakti — placed India among a select group of nations capable of neutralizing space threats. Defence space and cyber agencies have since been institutionalized, ensuring that India isn’t just strong on land and sea but resilient in the invisible domains of the future.
India now ranks among the top five global military powers — behind only the United States, China, Russia, and perhaps a European bloc. More importantly, it enjoys strategic autonomy: the ability to procure, produce, and project power without overdependence on any single foreign source. India’s military diplomacy — through joint exercises with the U.S., Japan, France, and Australia — underscores its centrality in the emerging Indo-Pacific balance of power.
The contrast with the pre-Modi decade could not be starker. Back then, delays in procurement, policy paralysis, and political indecision had blunted India’s military edge. Today, India’s enemies — from Pakistan to China — acknowledge, however reluctantly, a more confident, better-equipped, and self-reliant Indian military.
The transformation of India’s armed forces over the past decade is not a matter of chance but of sustained political will. Prime Minister Modi’s insistence on indigenization, technological innovation, and national pride has given India what it long lacked — the confidence of a producer nation and the capability of a global power. Once dependent on others for even basic defence equipment, India now designs, develops, and exports lethal precision weaponry.
In less than ten years, India’s military has transformed from being armed yet dependent to being armed, afloat, and ascendant — ready to defend, deter, and dominate. The latest and largest-ever 10-day-long “Trishul” military exercise on the western border, combining all three forces — the Army, Navy, and Air Force — and involving more than 30,000 personnel, stands as testimony to India’s preparedness for modern warfare.
