Indian Army Hits 91% Ammunition Self-Reliance, Bolstering Long-War Endurance

As global security dynamics grow more volatile, the Indian Army is reshaping its preparedness around a critical pillar of modern warfare: endurance. At the heart of this transformation lies ammunition self-reliance, where India has crossed a major milestone, indigenising more than 90 per cent of its ammunition requirements.

Military planners now recognise that battlefield success depends not only on cutting-edge platforms and precision weapons but also on the ability to sustain firepower over time as conflicts increasingly stretch over months. 

Ammunition, spares and logistics form the backbone of that staying power. Recent international conflicts, marked by supply bottlenecks and disrupted global supply chains, have underlined a hard lesson: countries that cannot replenish ammunition domestically risk losing operational momentum.

Against this backdrop, the Indian Army has placed ammunition indigenisation at the core of its long-term war-fighting strategy. For decades, India relied heavily on imports and legacy production systems, exposing vulnerabilities during crises. That dependence is now being systematically dismantled.

The Army currently operates close to 200 variants of ammunition and precision munitions across its diverse weapon systems. Through sustained policy reforms, closer engagement with industry and a shift in procurement philosophy, over 90 per cent of these variants are now sourced through domestic routes. The remaining categories are under active development, with parallel efforts involving defence research agencies, public sector undertakings and a rapidly expanding private defence manufacturing base.

This push aligns with the national self-reliance vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and the defence-focused thrust of Make in India - Make for the World. Over the past four to five years, procurement processes have been restructured to encourage competition and reduce single-vendor dependencies. An order basket of approximately ₹16,000 crore has been created under Make in India initiatives, while indigenous ammunition supply orders worth nearly ₹26,000 crore have been placed in the last three years alone.

Vendor diversification has significantly strengthened supply resilience. Many ammunition variants are now supported by multiple domestic manufacturers, reducing the risk of disruptions and ensuring continuity during high-intensity or prolonged operations. This shift has also stimulated investment in capacity expansion, quality control and innovation across India's defence industrial ecosystem.

The next phase of the Army's ammunition roadmap focuses on consolidation and depth. Key priorities include strengthening domestic raw-material supply chains for critical components such as propellants and fuzes, modernising manufacturing infrastructure, accelerating technology transfers and enforcing stringent quality standards.

By anchoring its ammunition capability in indigenous strength, the Indian Army is not only improving battlefield sustainability but also reinforcing national strategic resilience. In an era where wars are as much about industrial stamina as combat skill, India's ammunition self-reliance drive is emerging as a decisive force multiplier.