Indian Army achieves 91% ammunition self-reliance, strengthens long-war readiness
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The Indian Army has achieved over 90 per cent self-reliance in ammunition production, marking a major milestone in its effort to strengthen long-term war preparedness as modern conflicts increasingly stretch over months rather than weeks.
Military planners now recognise that battlefield success depends not only on advanced platforms and precision weapons but also on the ability to sustain firepower over extended periods. Recent global conflicts, marked by supply chain disruptions and ammunition shortages, have reinforced the importance of domestic manufacturing capacity.
Against this backdrop, the Army has made ammunition indigenisation a central pillar of its long-term strategy.
India currently operates nearly 200 variants of ammunition and precision munitions across its weapon systems. More than 90 per cent of these are now sourced domestically, with the remaining categories under active development through collaboration between defence research agencies, public sector units, and private manufacturers.
This shift marks a decisive break from earlier dependence on imports and legacy production systems that had exposed vulnerabilities during crises. The effort aligns with the broader national vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and the Make in India, Make for the World initiative.
Over the past four to five years, procurement processes have been restructured to reduce single-vendor dependence and encourage competition. An order book of around Rs 16,000 crore has been created under the Make in India initiatives, while indigenous ammunition supply orders worth nearly Rs 26,000 crore have been placed in the last three years.
Vendor diversification has strengthened supply resilience, with multiple domestic manufacturers now supporting several ammunition variants. This has improved continuity during high-intensity operations and encouraged investment in capacity expansion, quality control, and innovation.
The next phase focuses on strengthening raw material supply chains, modernising manufacturing infrastructure, accelerating technology transfers, and enforcing stricter quality standards. By anchoring its ammunition capability at home, the Indian Army is enhancing battlefield endurance and reinforcing national strategic resilience in an era where industrial strength increasingly defines military power.