Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the annual performance review meeting of 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings at DSPU Bhawan, in New Delhi
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday told the 16 defence PSUs to focus on timely delivery, reduce the import dependency, transform R&D into technology leadership, enhance defence exports and make efforts to achieve quality equivalent to global standards.The senior NDA Minister said this during annual performance review of the DPSUs for FY25-26 where he was briefed by Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar and respective Chairmen & Managing Directors (CMDs) of the State owned companies on their functioning, key achievements, and future roadmap. Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth was also present in the meeting.“The progress of DPSUs is not merely an economic or industrial necessity; it is a national security imperative. Recent global conflicts have demonstrated how crucial assured supply chains, surge capacity, critical spares, rapid repair capabilities, and the ability to sustain production during prolonged conflicts are for any nation,” he said at the almost day long meeting which began at around 10 am here.Welcoming the increased investment in R&D by DPSUs, he stated that the success of innovation should be measured not just by the amount spent, but by the development of new technologies, intellectual property, prototypes, and operational products. “We must identify niche technology areas where India can become not just self-reliant, but a global leader,” he added.He urged the DPSUs to continue focusing on elevating the quality of their products to global standards. “In pursuit of the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ objective, we must resolve to transform all DPSUs into global giants,” he said.Earlier in his address, Singh stated that all the 16 DPSUs are showing their achievement in multi sectors and congratulated the organisations for their continued dedication and excellence. He underlined that in the year 2025-26, India achieved defence production worth approximately ₹1.8 lakh crore with DPSUs contributing ₹1.29 lakh crore. He termed the achievement a reflection of the nation’s significant progress towards building an Aatmanirbhar defence industrial base.During the event, the CMDs of seven DPSUs — Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE), BEML, and MIDHANI — presented dividend cheques, worth a total of ₹3,951 crore for the government’s equity shares to the Defence Minister for FY25-26. Last year, the DPSUs had presented the cheques for interim dividend on equity shares held by the government for ₹2,138 crore for the FY24-25.Published on September 1, 2026
