India is reducing reliance on foreign and older weapons while building a technology-driven military capability across air, land and sea, according to a report published on August 16, 2026. The report identifies air defence, border forces, rockets, warships, supersonic missiles, combat aircraft and drones as central parts of this expansion. India’s defence structure had largely depended on weapons and equipment inherited from the British era after independence.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation, established in 1958, has worked on missiles, radars, combat aircraft, warships, armoured vehicles and drones. The report cites indigenous air missile systems, MRSAM, S-400, Barak-8, Spyder and QRSAM as elements of layered air defence. It describes BrahMos, developed jointly by India and Russia, as a supersonic cruise missile deployable from land, sea and air platforms.

India is also increasing the use of Pinaka rocket systems, radars, drone-defence systems and electronic warfare technology in its army. Naval capabilities include Barak-8 or LR-SAM and VL-SRSAM systems. Development work is cited on Tapas, Rustom, Archer, Ghatak and Swift drones, while research is expanding in radars, sensors, command and control, artificial intelligence and hypersonic technology.