Leh, Dec 7 (PTI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said India is witnessing a paradigm shift in defence manufacturing, from being an import-dependent nation to an emerging producer-exporter.

He said the country once lacked a robust system to manufacture arms and equipment domestically, but sustained efforts over the last decade have reversed that situation.

"Due to our hard work in the last 10 years, our defence production, which was approximately Rs 46,000 crore in 2014, has now grown to a record Rs 1.51 lakh crore. Our defence exports, which were less than Rs 1,000 crore 10 years ago, have now reached nearly Rs 24,000 crore," Singh said after inaugurating 125 strategically significant infrastructure projects of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) here.

Spread across the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, and seven states including Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Mizoram, these projects -- 28 roads, 93 bridges and four miscellaneous works -- have been completed at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore.

Lauding the BRO for making great progress in technological innovation, Singh asserted that advanced engineering methods are accelerating the completion of infrastructure projects.

He made special mention of BRO's adoption of Class-70 modular bridges indigenously developed in partnership with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) vision.

"The successful construction of these modular bridges at several forward locations is a powerful example of how indigenous technology is transforming infrastructure in border areas. These bridges, completely designed and manufactured in India, mark a significant milestone in India's engineering self-reliance," he said.

The defence minister also pointed out that in the financial year 2024-25, BRO incurred a record expenditure of Rs 16,690 crore, the highest ever, and a target of Rs 18,700 crore has been set for FY 2025-26, which underlines the government's confidence in BRO's capabilities.

In the last two years, 356 BRO infrastructure projects have been dedicated to the nation, marking a benchmark achievement in strategic infrastructure development, an official said.

He said the execution of these projects in such diverse and challenging regions highlights BRO's unmatched capability to operate in high-altitude, snowbound, desert, flood-prone and dense forest terrains.

The government has enhanced the BRO budget from Rs 6,500 crore to Rs 7,146 crore in Union Budget 2025-26 in recognition of its critical role in national security and development. PTI TAS TAS RUK RUK

Defence production rises to Rs 1.51 lakh crore with exports near Rs 24,000 crore and expanded BRO infrastructure. India's defence production increased from about Rs 46,000 crore in 2014 to Rs 1.51 lakh crore, with defence exports rising to nearly Rs 24,000 crore. The Border Roads Organisation completed 125 strategic projects-28 roads, 93 bridges and four miscellaneous works-at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore, and has adopted indigenously developed Class-70 modular bridges in partnership with domestic industry. BRO recorded its highest-ever expenditure in 2024-25 and received an increased budget allocation for 2025-26 to support continued frontier infrastructure development.