 "Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces")
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Saturday urged India’s defence industry to pair profit with responsibility, saying the sector must show nationalism, honesty and reliability as the country pushes for self-reliance in military manufacturing.
Speaking at the Brainstorming Session 2.0 at the Manekshaw Centre, he highlighted the crucial role of both public and private players in strengthening India’s defence capabilities.
Gen Chauhan appreciated the work done by PSUs, private companies and MSMEs in defence R&D, autonomous systems, futuristic tech, ammunition and explosives. But he warned that the armed forces cannot afford delays or exaggerated claims.
“We expect a bit of nationalism and patriotism in your profit-driven endeavours," he said. “Industry will have to be truthful about its capabilities. You cannot leave us in a lurch. If you sign a contract and do not deliver on time, it is not merely a delay, it is a capability that is being lost."
He said companies must commit realistically, assess indigenous capacity honestly and ensure on-time delivery of systems vital to national security.
India in global defence markets
Gen Chauhan stressed that cost competitiveness is essential if India wants to succeed as a defence exporter.
“You have to be cost-competitive so that you can compete in the foreign market. You cannot have overpriced products. And you must deliver," he said.
Chauhan on war
He also underlined the harsh truths of warfare.
“War is all about winning. There are no runners-up. There are no silver medals for valiant efforts," he said, adding that nations often rise or fall based on a single conflict. Soldiers, he said, must constantly think about future warfare, training, equipment and technology.
Shift in military strategy
Gen Chauhan said military strategy has evolved from depending mainly on geography to being dominated by technology.
“Gradually, the element of technology is taking over and overshadowing geography," he said, noting that technological and tactical superiority now decide outcomes.
He urged industry partners to innovate, act with integrity and stay committed to national interest as India accelerates its push for defence self-reliance.
‘Defence reforms are not a one-way street’
A day earlier, Gen Chauhan delivered a blunt message at another event in Delhi, saying India’s defence industry must address recurring delays and inflated claims that hurt preparedness.
“Our expectation from the industry. We expect a bit of nationalism and patriotism in your profit-driven endeavours,” he said.
He revealed that the Army had found repeated lapses during scouting for the fifth and sixth Equipment Procurement cycles.
“Most of the people have overpromised things and they failed to deliver in their time frame. Now this is unacceptable,” he said.
He criticised companies for overstating indigenous content and hiding gaps in technology.
“A lot of industries say that, okay, this is 70 per cent Indian. But actually, when you find out it is not. So you have to be truthful about this, because it is related to the matter of security,” he said.
‘You must be globally competitive, not overpriced’
Gen Chauhan again emphasised that Make-in-India will only work if Indian products are priced right.
“You’ll have to be cost-competitive… you can’t have products which are overpriced,” he said.