NEW DELHI, September 24 — New Delhi hosted the DEFCON Summit 2026, attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and senior officials from the armed forces, defence public sector undertakings, and private defence manufacturers.
The summit focused on accelerating indigenous defence manufacturing under the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative. Key discussions covered the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), drone swarm systems, and advanced missile technologies into India's security architecture. Rajnath Singh announced that India's defence exports have crossed ₹23,000 crore in FY 2025–26, a new record.
Defence industry leaders outlined plans for private sector participation in the development of light combat aircraft, advanced helicopters, and naval combat systems.
Defence production policy and export milestones are important current affairs topics. Candidates should know that India's defence manufacturing ecosystem is overseen by the Department of Defence Production (DDP) under the Ministry of Defence.