India pushes arms exports after Pakistan clash showcases weaponry

https://www.ft.com/content/4a06249f-f511-45c8-85c0-a86dc8a8f8d3

Posted by BROWN-MUNDA_

3 comments

  1. SS: Here’s the summary of the Financial Times article titled “India Pushes Arms Exports After Pakistan Clash Showcases Weaponry”:

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    India Boosts Arms Exports After Operation Sindoor

    India is accelerating its push to export defence equipment after Operation Sindoor, a military strike deep into Pakistan that showcased homegrown weapons like drones and BrahMos missiles. This effort aligns with PM Modi’s “Make in India” drive to grow the country’s defence manufacturing.

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    Key Points:

    Export Target: India aims to more than double defence exports to ₹500 billion (about $5.8 billion) by 2029, up from ₹236 billion last year.

    Show of Strength: The use of Indian-made missiles and drones in Operation Sindoor is now serving as global proof of their capability. The government and industry are capitalizing on that for overseas sales.

    Start-Up Growth:

    Drone start-up Raphe mPhibr, backed by General Catalyst, raised $100 million in June.

    Its drones (like mR10 and mR10-IC) were used in the Pakistan operation.

    The company is now valued near $1 billion and targeting international markets.

    Major Players:

    BrahMos missiles (India-Russia JV): exported to the Philippines; talks ongoing with Vietnam and Indonesia.

    BEL’s Akash missiles and Pinaka rockets: sold to Armenia.

    Adani Group: produces drones (with Elbit Systems), small arms, and anti-submarine systems.

    Tata Group: manufactures C295 aircraft with Airbus and helicopter components with Boeing and Sikorsky.

    Private Sector Involvement: Since 2014, the Modi government has encouraged private companies (Adani, Tata, L&T, Bharat Forge, Mahindra) to enter defence manufacturing.

    Challenges Remain:

    India still hasn’t won major competitive global contracts.

    It lost the Malaysian fighter jet deal in 2023 to South Korea’s KAI (over the Tejas aircraft).

    More Exports Coming:

    Solar Industries is expanding from explosives to drones; about 50% of its $1.7 billion order book is international.

    Bharat Forge also reports strong export revenue, especially from howitzer guns.

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    Strategic Context:

    India is moving from being a major arms importer to becoming a weapons exporter, especially amid tensions with China and a desire to reduce reliance on Russian military gear.

    Operation Sindoor and new systems like the ET-LDHCM hypersonic missile have given India visibility as a credible defence manufacturer on the world stage.

  2. If anything after the 2025 dustup between India and Pakistan, any potential buyers would be canceling or running away from Indian stuff and move on to the Chinese stuff.

    EDIT: alot of Indian hurt feelings coming out of woodwork with downvotes.

    BTW, India doesn’t even crack top25 in arms exports globally before 2025 as you can see in the SIPRI report linked below so Indians weren’t exporting much weapons if any to begin with. But after the “below par” performance, even less will be buying the Indian weapons.

    [https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/fs_2503_at_2024_0.pdf](https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/fs_2503_at_2024_0.pdf)

  3. Like China or Sweden to a degree, India is in this awkward space in terms of military sale. The western alliance buys US for protection, or they buy EU/NATO to prop up domestic capabilities. That leaves africa, middle east, and asia pacific non aligned powers. Its best shot is to clearly define its geopolitical interest, maybe closer to home, and support it through arms sales and co development. The other route is getting in on Ukraine, but as an non aligned power, India would struggle to balance its position no matter which side it supplies. 

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