What happened
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh said in New Delhi on 18 July 2026 that Operation Sindoor reflected India’s defence preparedness and the Government’s push for defence self-reliance. He linked the operation to India’s anti-terror posture, indigenous weapons systems, and the wider transformation of the defence sector over the last 12 years.
According to the Ministry of Defence statement, the Raksha Mantri described Operation Sindoor as evidence of technological warfare capability and as a response to terrorism and its support networks. He said advanced systems such as Akash Teer, the Akash missile system, and BrahMos were used effectively.
Background and earlier position
India’s defence policy has increasingly focused on reducing import dependence, strengthening domestic design and manufacture, and expanding exports. The Government has used positive indigenisation lists, procurement preference for Indian industry, and reforms in defence exports to build a larger domestic defence industrial ecosystem.
What changed now
Related current affairs
- Raksha Mantri in Dras on Kargil Vijay Diwas: Operation Sindoor as proof of India’s decisive response; no talks with Pakistan (dialogue only on PoK)
- Raksha Mantri reviews annual performance of 16 DPSUs; highlights defence production and urges Aatmanirbhar focus
- Defence Export SOP and Open General Export Licence (OGEL) framework simplified to reduce procedural burden and expand global market access
- Need Kargil-style review of Operation Sindoor after ex-CDS’s remarks: Ramesh