Rajnath Singh Hails DPSUs as Pillars of Self-Reliant India, Felicitates Four with Miniratna Status

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday called the 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) strong pillars of the country’s self-reliance.

“Their excellent performance in operations like Operation Sindoor testifies to the reliability and capability of our indigenous platforms,” he said during the comprehensive review meeting of DPSUs at the newly inaugurated DPSU Bhawan, here today.

The four DPSUs - Munitions India Limited (MIL), Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL), India Optel Limited (IOL) and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) were also felicitated on being granted Miniratna (Category-I) status.

Addressing the gathering, Singh commended the DPSUs for their steadfast contribution to strengthening India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem and advancing the vision of a self-reliant India.

He also highlighted that the transformation of the Ordnance Factory Board into seven new DPSUs in 2021 ushered in greater functional independence, innovation and competitiveness.

He said that with the newly granted Miniratna status, the four DPSUs will be able to undertake capacity expansion, modernisation and explore new ventures and collaborations, including joint ventures and mergers with both public and private sector partners.

Stating that in 2024-25 India achieved defence production worth Rs 1.51 lakh crore, with DPSUs contributing 71.6% of the total, the defence minister said that the defence exports reached Rs 6,695 crore, underscoring global confidence in India’s indigenous systems. “This clearly indicates that ‘Made in India’ defence products are gaining global respect,” he added.

Emphasising the need to sustain this momentum, he further urged all DPSUs to focus on rapid indigenisation of critical technologies, holistic R&D, product quality enhancement, timely deliveries and adoption of a strategic approach to increase exports. He directed DPSUs to define clear indigenisation and R&D roadmaps with measurable milestones to be presented at the next review meeting. “On behalf of the Government, I assure you that wherever special intervention or assistance is required, it will be provided promptly,” he understated.

Later, three major MoUs were exchanged among DPSUs. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) signed MoUs with Yantra India Limited (YIL) to support its modernisation efforts and establish a 10,000-ton Forging Press facility, a crucial step towards reducing import dependence for aluminium alloys used in the defence and aerospace sectors.

HAL has committed an interest-free advance of Rs 435 crore to YIL, while BDL will provide a sustained workload of up to 3,000 metric tonnes over ten years. The third MoU was signed for the creation of a Metal Bank at MIDHANI to ensure uninterrupted availability of critical raw materials for defence projects of national importance.