Minister of Defence of India, Shri Rajnath Singh, addressed the Controllers’ Conference of the Defence Accounts Department (DAD) in New Delhi on July 07, 2025, emphasising the department’s critical role in strengthening the operational readiness and financial agility of the Armed Forces. Referring to the success of Operation Sindoor, he stated that the valour displayed and demonstration of the capability of domestic equipment has further increased the global demand for the indigenous products. “The world is looking at our defence sector with new respect. A single delay or error in financial processes can directly affect operational preparedness,” he said. He also called on the DAD to evolve from a ‘controller’ to a ‘facilitator’ in sync with increasing participation of the private sector in defence.
Shri Rajnath Singh credited the ongoing transformation in the defence sector to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, under whose guidance the country has moved towards Aatmanirbharta and structural reform in defence planning, finance, and innovation. “Most of the equipment we once imported is now being made in India. Our reforms are succeeding because of the clarity of vision and commitment at the highest level,” he added.
Addressing the larger geopolitical context, Raksha Mantri mentioned the rising global military expenditure reaching $2.7 trillion in 2024, as per Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and stated that this opens up tremendous opportunities for India’s indigenous defence industries. He stressed that with the Prime Minister's focus on ‘Aatmanirbharta in Defence’, India’s industries must be prepared for the global demand shift and play a larger role in exports and innovation. “Our effort is to ensure that decisions are taken swiftly so that we can begin manufacturing larger engines right here in India and that this journey begins with the hands of Indians,” he added, reaffirming the government’s commitment to building advanced indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities.
Highlighting the increasing strategic and economic significance of the defence sector, the Shri Rajnath Singh called for a shift in perception from defence spending as mere expenditure to an economic investment with multiplier impact. “Until recently, defence budgets were not seen as part of the national economy. Today, they are growth drivers,” he added. He mentioned that India, along with the rest of the world, is entering a new phase of re-armament, marked by capital-intensive investments in the defence sector. He urged the department to incorporate Defence Economics in their planning and assessments, including social impact analysis of R&D projects and dual-use technologies.
The key highlights of the event were the release of the Vision Document, Mission Statement, New Motto, second edition of the Market Intelligence Report 2025 and Revised Defence Accounts Code.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr. Samir V Kamat, Financial Adviser (Defence Services) Shri S G Dastidar, and Controller General of Defence Accounts Dr Mayank Sharma were also present on the occasion.
Speaking at the Controllers’ Conference in New Delhi. https://t.co/k2TzOCkSmy
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 7, 2025
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