New Delhi, January 1 (.) As the curtains came down on ‘Year of Reforms 2025’, Ministry of Defence, has recorded significant progress in implementing wide-ranging reforms aimed at strengthening jointness, enhancing defence preparedness, promoting self-reliance and improving welfare delivery mechanisms.
The Defence Acquisition Council approved capital acquisition proposals worth a total of cost of over Rs 3.84 lakh crore since January 2025 to enhance the country’s defence readiness, with focus on modernisation through indigenisation. In the Financial Year 2025-26 till the end of 2025, the ministry has signed capital contracts amounting to Rs 1.82 lakh crore for the modernisation of the Armed Forces.
Further the Ministry has achieved 80 per cent (Approx. Rs 1.2 lakh crore) expenditure under Capital Acquisition Budget by the end of December 2025. To promote greater indigenisation in defence and secure supply chains, private sector participation has been increased. This includes streamlining defence manufacturing licenses, mapping the competencies of MSMEs, and preparing Market Intelligence Reports to enhance demand-supply analysis in defence procurement.
The Ministry is also reviewing and revising Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, Encouragement of Foreign Direct Investment in defence, Enhanced engagement with friendly countries, Defence Lines of Credit including Bharat Maitri Shakti, and Rationalisation of restricted distance norms near defence establishments.
Establishment of Joint Operations Control Centre, promulgation of Vision 2047 for the Armed Forces, Creation of a Future Operations Analysis Group, Promotion of joint training programmes and Finalisation of the Integrated Capability Development Plan are under various stages of implementation.
Further, deployment of Tri-Service Geographical Information System, Review and Harmonisation of policies, SOPs and Tactics, Techniques & Procedures for Tri-service uniformity, Expansion of women’s roles in combat and leadership positions, Promotion of military tourism and Preparation of a long-term roadmap for operational infrastructure and accommodation have been completed.
To improve delivery of medical cover for veterans and their dependents under ECHS, pan-India doorstep delivery of medicines to 70 year plus Ex-servicemen (ESM) with infirmity introduced, authorised local chemist limits doubled, eSeHAT tele-medicine consultation introduced, pan-India rollout underway; AYUSH treatment at ECHS introduced, Stress management facilities created, Common drug list enhanced, Upgradation of some ECHS polyclinics, Creation of some new polyclinics underway. Enhancement of welfare grants to ESM and their dependents including Penury, Education & Marriage grants implemented.
31.69 lakh defence pensioners have been onboarded on SPARSH, India’s largest digital pension platform. Out of 6.43 lakh discrepant cases migrated from previous systems, 6.07 lakh have been normalised without affecting pensioners’ entitlements.
. PWS