From foreign dependence to battlefield resilience; Nearly 200 ammunition variants, most now indigenous
India has sharply reduced its reliance on foreign ammunition, with the Army now sourcing nearly 90 per cent of its ammunition requirements from domestic manufacturers—a shift that directly strengthens war-fighting capability and long-term operational endurance.
At a time when global supply chains are under strain and conflicts are rapidly depleting ammunition stocks worldwide, the move reflects a decisive correction to a long-standing vulnerability in India’s defence preparedness.
The Army uses close to 200 types of ammunition and precision munitions, spanning pistols, rifles, machine guns, anti-tank missiles, artillery guns, rockets such as Pinaka, Army aviation systems and long-range platforms including BrahMos.
Policy reforms and sustained engagement with private industry have resulted in more than 90 per cent of these ammunition variants being indigenised, reversing decades of import-heavy dependence.
Government push delivers measurable results
The turnaround is the outcome of a sustained government push to align military preparedness with the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. Reforms in defence procurement, the opening up of ammunition manufacturing to the private sector, faster contracting timelines and long-term order assurances have created confidence for the domestic industry to invest in capacity and technology. The government’s decision to prioritise indigenous sourcing has translated into large-scale production, reduced import bills and improved availability of critical war consumables for the armed forces.
Why imports were a strategic risk
Research and defence assessments have consistently flagged India as one of the world’s largest defence importers, particularly vulnerable in ammunition and consumables. Unlike major platforms, ammunition must be replenished continuously during sustained operations.
Recent conflicts, especially the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, underlined a blunt reality — countries without domestic ammunition production at scale risk operational paralysis, regardless of the sophistication of their weapons.
Procurement overhaul fuels domestic capacity
Over the last four to five years, the Army has overhauled its procurement processes to promote competition and multiple sourcing options, reducing dependence on single vendors and improving supply resilience.
At present, the domestic industry holds ammunition orders worth around ₹16,000 crore, while nearly ₹26,000 crore worth of indigenous supply contracts have been placed over the last three years. Several ammunition variants are now being supplied by more than one Indian manufacturer.
Operation Sindoor exposed the next challenge
While most ammunition is now produced domestically, certain high-end precision systems remain imported. One such example is the Excalibur precision-guided artillery ammunition, sourced from the US and used effectively during Operation Sindoor.
To address this gap, the Army is working with research agencies, defence public sector units and private firms to develop indigenous precision-guided ammunition and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers for critical battlefield capabilities.
Ammunition determines how long a war can be fought
Military planners emphasise that modern warfare is sustained not by platforms alone but by ammunition, spares and logistics. Without an assured local supply, even advanced weapon systems risk becoming ineffective during prolonged engagements.
Earlier reliance on legacy public sector production and overseas sourcing exposed India to global disruptions, sanctions and diplomatic pressures.
Next phase: securing the ecosystem
The focus has now shifted to consolidating gains by strengthening domestic raw-material supply chains for propellants and fuzes, modernising manufacturing infrastructure, accelerating technology transfers and enforcing strict quality standards.
These steps aim to build a self-sustaining ammunition ecosystem, ensuring that India’s military readiness remains intact even during extended crises. In an era of uncertain geopolitics, India’s ammunition indigenisation drive stands out as a core national security achievement rather than a routine procurement reform.
