Rajnath invites German industry leaders to co-develop defence tech

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday invited German companies to co-develop and co-produce advanced defence technologies with India, emphasising the need for trusted partnerships amid growing global uncertainties. Addressing Indian and German industry leaders at the Defence Investor Summit in Munich, Singh said collaborations based on reliability and shared interests are essential at a time when nations are reassessing supply chains and strategic dependencies due to geopolitical shifts and rapid technological changes.
Singh highlighted India’s strengths as an investment destination, citing its expanding market, skilled workforce and evolving industrial ecosystem, along with policy stability and commitment to the rule of law. “This is not a short-term opportunity but a long-term strategic proposition,” he said. The minister identified several areas for potential collaboration, including advanced radar and sensor technologies, AI-enabled unmanned systems, sonar systems and underwater communication technologies. He noted that such partnerships align with India’s push for self-reliance under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, which he described as a collaborative rather than inward-looking approach.
“India is moving from being a buyer of defence equipment to becoming a partner in design, development and production,” Singh said, adding that the country’s defence industrial ecosystem encourages innovation through collaboration among industry, academia and startups. He also pointed to India’s growing defence manufacturing capabilities and its ambition to become a developed nation by 2047, underlining the sector’s role in strengthening both national security and economic resilience.