New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today gave the inaugural address for this years Delhi Defence Dialogue 2025, hosted by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA). In his speech, he emphasised the need to expand the scope of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, so as to be completely self-reliant for crucial defence technologies.
Speaking at the ‘Delhi Defence Dialogue’ in New Delhi. https://t.co/lWV6o5Art3
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) November 11, 2025
“(We) Need to build systems and ecosystems to make creation & adoption of new tech seamless, swift and self-sustaining,” he said. “True strategic autonomy will come only when our code is as indigenous as our hardware”
The defence minister underscored the necessity to extend Aatmanirbharta beyond manufacturing, as indigenous defence infrastructure- algorithms, data and chips that power platforms, are crucial for strategic autonomy.
“We are, encouraging secure, indigenous software stacks, trusted semiconductor supply chains, and home-grown AI models trained on Indian data. Amidst all the excitement about machines and algorithms, we must remember that technology is not meant to replace human judgement, but to amplify it. We must also invest in the ethical, psychological, and legal dimensions of these emerging technologies. India, as a civilisational power, can and must lead the conversation on responsible and humane use of military technology,” he added.
The Minister also urged the Armed Forces to follow the best global practices not just for technology or equipment, but also for training, planning, logistics and management systems.
“It is far better to import best practices than to import the best equipment. Because once we perfect the process and once our systems are robust, adaptive, and transparent, we will not merely purchase excellence from abroad, we can produce it here at home. MP-IDSA can play a crucial role by studying, documenting, and disseminating such practices, and helping the Services adapt the best global practices to our national context,” he added.
The annual event, which brings together military officials, politicians and industrial representatives to discuss the various challenges facing the defence sector, will also see participation from ambassadors of friendly countries as well.
