Over the past decade, India has undergone a strategic shift in its industrial and security policies. The Atmanirbhar Bharat (“Self-Reliant India”) initiative continues to shape the country’s economic, industrial, and security agenda in 2025.
Rooted in techno-nationalist principles, it views mastery of critical technologies and their indigenous development as a central pathway to securing economic, security, and political advantages. In its current phase, the initiative emphasizes innovation, the development of advanced technologies, and adherence to environmental standards under the “Zero Defect, Zero Effect” framework.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has articulated a core objective, “Tech Atmanirbhar Bharat,” aimed at accelerating the development and production of indigenous products and technologies, while mobilizing the younger generation to contribute, particularly in technology, defense, and industrial sectors.
Notable Achievements and Policy Directions – Atmanirbhar Bharat 2025
Technological innovation accelerated domestic R&D in critical sectors, prioritizing the self-development of advanced defense systems and reducing reliance on imports. Promoting “Make in India” – high-quality, defect-free local manufacturing with minimal environmental impact, alongside substantial investments in upgrading national infrastructure, including railways, ports, and airports.
Economic Growth – India has risen to fifth place globally by nominal GDP, with ambitions to become the third-largest economy. The original Atmanirbhar Bharat policy package—announced in 2020 at approximately $359 billion—has evolved into a broader framework that continues to stabilize the economy even during crises. In FY2024/25, GDP growth stood at about 9.9% in nominal terms and 6.5% in real terms.
Defense Industry Self-Reliance Regulatory reforms and government incentives have stimulated domestic defense technology development, with production reaching a record $18 billion in FY2024/25. Employment and Local Growth – The prioritization of local manufacturing has created significant employment opportunities and boosted exports across multiple sectors.
The Five Foundational Pillars of the Initiative
- Economy and innovation
- Infrastructure development
- Advanced governance systems
- Leveraging demographic potential through investment in a young workforce
- Strengthening local demand
Techno-Nationalism and Strategic Cooperation with Israel
Within this framework, the Indo-Israeli security-technology partnership exemplifies techno-nationalism in practice. India prioritizes collaborations involving joint development, technology transfer (ToT), and local production, merging external innovation with the cultivation of domestic self-sufficiency.
Notable joint projects include the Barak-8 – Jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), integrating Israeli expertise with Indian manufacturing capabilities. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) such as the Heron and Searcher models, with technology transfer enabling local component production, complemented by private-sector initiatives such as the Adani–Elbit UAV manufacturing facility in Hyderabad.
There were also precision weapons system projects, such as Rafael Advanced Defense System’s Spice precision-guided munitions and light machine guns procured from Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) under a 2020 contract.
There were also joint cyber and Electronic Warfare (EW) programs aimed at enhancing the cyber defense and EW capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces.
Shared Interests, Challenges, and Opportunities
Both countries have shared interests, such as India securing access to advanced technologies while preserving local production autonomy and sustainment capabilities, and Israel expanding access to India’s vast defence market and deepening strategic influence in Asia.
But there are some key challenges ahead.
Balancing openness to global cooperation with the protection of domestic industries. Reducing import dependency in critical areas such as electronics, semiconductors, and rare earth materials. Navigating geopolitical constraints and defence export regulations.Managing public sensitivities regarding foreign technologies (e.g., the Pegasus controversy).
Nevertheless, there are also emerging opportunities such as expanding cooperation in space technology, robotics, military AI, and 5G. India can also leverage defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu—comprising multiple specialised industrial nodes as joint development hubs, and both countries establishing bilateral investment funds to support joint defence start-ups.
Linking Modi 3.0’s Strategic Vision to Defence Technology
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term sets a clear objective: to position India as a leading economic and technological power deeply integrated into global value chains, while accelerating the development of physical and digital infrastructure and advancing its leadership of the Global South agenda.
In this context, defence–technology cooperation with Israel plays a dual strategic role: it grants India access to top-tier security innovations while adhering to the Atmanirbhar Bharat principles of local production and indigenous development, and it strengthens India’s position as a reliable partner capable of offering advanced solutions to other Global South countries. Joint projects ranging from the development of advanced defence systems to cyber and electronic warfare capabilities not only enhance India’s security posture but also expand its presence in international markets and reinforce its geopolitical influence.
Atmanirbhar Bharat 2025 redefines India’s pathway to defence-technological advancement by integrating indigenous production, innovation, economic and demographic empowerment, and environmental responsibility.
The Indo-Israeli partnership rooted in these principles demonstrates how techno-nationalism can function as a powerful instrument for advancing national security, economic growth, and strategic influence. The primary challenge, and opportunity, lies in further refining collaborative models that foster innovation while safeguarding the long-term strategic interests of both nations.
Looking ahead, the Indo–Israeli techno-security partnership would benefit from institutionalising mechanisms that translate shared innovation into long-term strategic advantage. Establishing a bi-national investment fund for defence-oriented start-ups could accelerate joint research, foster technological breakthroughs, and strengthen the industrial bases of both countries. Expanding cooperation into emerging domains such as space technology and precision navigation would align with India’s strategic ambitions and complement Israel’s niche expertise.
Additionally, developing a structured knowledge-sharing framework in civil defence and post-disaster infrastructure rehabilitation areas where both nations possess significant operational experience would enhance resilience, broaden the scope of bilateral cooperation, and project a shared capacity to address complex security challenges.