Defence Minister outlines roadmap for 16 DPSUs

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the annual performance review of 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) at DPSU Bhawan in New Delhi on 1 September 2026. The review covered production, profitability, exports, indigenisation, and modernisation plans for India’s defence manufacturing sector.

Defence Public Sector Undertakings

Defence Public Sector Undertakings are government-owned companies under the Ministry of Defence that manufacture defence equipment, systems, and platforms. India has 16 DPSUs, and they operate across aerospace, shipbuilding, electronics, armaments, and materials.

Production and Profitability

India’s total defence production reached about ₹1.8 lakh crore in FY 2025-26. The 16 DPSUs contributed ₹1.29 lakh crore, which marked 15.4% year-on-year growth. Their cumulative Profit After Tax rose by 15.6% to ₹23,136 crore in FY 2025-26.

Exports and Dividend Distribution

Defence exports by the DPSUs increased by 151.2% in FY 2025-26 compared with the previous financial year. Chairpersons and Managing Directors of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited, Bharat Dynamics Limited, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, BEML, and Mishra Dhatu Nigam presented dividend cheques worth ₹3,951 crore as the government’s equity shareholding for FY 2025-26.

Important Facts for Exams

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is India’s largest aerospace and defence company by revenue and production scale.
• Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers are major shipbuilding DPSUs under the Ministry of Defence.
• Bharat Electronics Limited manufactures defence electronics, radar systems, and communication equipment.
• Bharat Dynamics Limited produces missiles and related defence systems for the Indian Armed Forces.

Roadmaps and Indigenisation

The Defence Minister released Aatmanirbhar DPSU – A Journey of DPSUs towards Self-Reliance, which sets out a five-year indigenisation framework. He also released DISHA, an initiative for student exposure to modern defence technologies, and two separate manuals for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited titled Modernisation Roadmap of HAL and Indigenisation Roadmap of HAL.

HAL and Future-Ready Aerospace Planning

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is a central public sector enterprise engaged in aircraft, helicopters, engines, avionics, and aerospace systems. The HAL roadmaps focus on modernisation and indigenisation for aerospace manufacturing and technology development.