RAS question
India's defence exports reached a record level in FY 2025-26. What was the value, and what is the target set for 2029-30?
Correct answer: (D) ₹38,424 crore; target ₹50,000 crore.
India's defence exports reached a record ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025-26, and the defence-export target for 2029-30 is ₹50,000 crore.
Explanation
India's defence exports touched an all-time high of ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025-26, a sharp rise over the previous fiscal figure cited by PIB. The figure matters because it shows that defence manufacturing is no longer only a domestic procurement story: exports are being used as evidence of India's growing defence-industrial capacity under Atmanirbhar Bharat. PIB also notes that the rise reflects greater acceptance of Indian-made defence products and stronger links with international supply chains. The target attached to this trajectory is ₹50,000 crore by 2029-30. Over 16,000 MSMEs are part of the defence supply chain, which explains why this is treated as an economy-cum-defence self-reliance question.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) ₹25,000 crore understates the FY 2025-26 record figure, and ₹40,000 crore is below the stated export target.
- (B) ₹30,000 crore is still short of the PIB-reported record export value, while ₹45,000 crore does not match the target.
- (C) ₹35,000 crore is closer but still below the reported ₹38,424 crore, and ₹48,000 crore is not the stated 2029-30 target.
Concept
This tests defence-sector self-reliance within the Indian Economy syllabus, especially the link between manufacturing, exports and strategic capacity. RAS repeatedly asks such figures because defence production, MSME participation and Atmanirbhar Bharat sit at the intersection of economy and national security.