New Delhi: The defence minister, Rajnath Singh, will undertake the annual performance review of 16 defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) in New Delhi on Tuesday, according to officials. The government is placing emphasis on developing new indigenous technologies, strengthening self-reliance and enhancing defence exports, the statement said.
The review comes after the DPSUs recorded strong growth in turnover, profit and exports in financial year 2025-26. Their combined turnover stood at ₹1.29 lakh crore, up 15.4 per cent from the previous financial year.
Their cumulative profit after tax rose 15.6 per cent to ₹23,136 crore. Exports by the DPSUs recorded an even sharper increase, rising 151 per cent over the previous year. Separately, India’s overall defence exports reached a record ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025-26, an increase of 62.66 per cent from ₹23,622 crore in the previous financial year, according to the Ministry of Defence.
DPSUs accounted for ₹21,071 crore, or 54.84 per cent, of the total defence exports, up from ₹8,389 crore, a rise of about 151 per cent. The private sector accounted for the remaining ₹17,353 crore, or 45.16 per cent, compared with ₹15,233 crore a year earlier, an increase of 14 per cent.
At Tuesday’s event, the chairmen and managing directors of seven DPSUs will present dividend cheques to Singh for the government’s equity holdings for the year. The seven are Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), BEML and MIDHANI.
Singh will also release four publications at the event. One is “Atmanirbhar DPSU”, tracing the companies progress towards self-reliance, and another is “DISHA”, an initiative giving students hands-on exposure to defence technology and manufacturing. The remaining two are separate roadmaps for HAL, covering its modernization and its push towards indigenization.
The review also comes against the backdrop of reforms by the Department of Defence Production to make exports easier. The department has simplified the defence export standard operating procedure and the open general export licence framework.
The changes aim to cut procedural requirements and give Indian defence firms faster access to international markets. The ministry said national security safeguards would remain fully in place even as the process is eased.
India’s defence products reached more than 80 countries in the financial year. The number of registered exporters rose to 145, up from 128, a 13.3 per cent increase.
Tuesday’s review therefore brings together two priorities for the DPSUs: strengthening indigenous capabilities and expanding their role in the global defence market. The sharp rise in exports, alongside growth in turnover and profitability, sets the backdrop for the government’s renewed push on technology development and export competitiveness.