The Government of India has introduced a fresh set of reforms to simplify the country’s defence export regime, reduce procedural requirements and provide Indian defence companies with greater flexibility to pursue opportunities in international markets.
The reforms were announced by the Ministry of Defence following a review of the Defence Export Standard Operating Procedure and the Open General Export Licence framework. The measures are aimed at facilitating faster exports while maintaining safeguards for sensitive defence equipment, technologies and destinations.
At the centre of the reforms is the Open General Export Licence, or OGEL, a standing export authorisation that allows eligible defence exporters to undertake multiple consignments of specified items without seeking a separate authorisation for every shipment.
The revised framework is intended to reduce repetitive paperwork and provide greater certainty to Indian defence manufacturers and exporters when dealing with overseas customers. The government has also sought to create a more streamlined system that allows companies to respond more quickly to international business opportunities.
Under the revised framework, three separate OGEL Standard Operating Procedures covering major platforms and equipment, parts and components, and intra-company transfer of technology have been consolidated into a single unified SOP. The move is expected to simplify compliance by providing exporters with a common procedural framework.
The validity period of an OGEL has also been increased from two years to three years. The longer validity is expected to reduce the frequency with which exporters need to seek renewals and provide greater continuity for companies engaged in recurring international defence business.
Another major change concerns the geographical coverage of the OGEL system. Previously available for 41 countries, the facility will now cover all countries except specified negative or sensitive destinations and countries subject to United Nations Security Council sanctions or arms embargoes.
The reforms also introduce a provision for Indian companies that have entered into long-term contracts or agreements with foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers. Under the new provision, an OGEL may be granted for eligible items associated with a particular foreign OEM, with its validity aligned with the underlying contract or agreement, subject to prescribed conditions.
The government has also moved to reduce consultations for certain categories of exports. For non-lethal defence items destined for most countries, stakeholder consultation will no longer be required, although appropriate safeguards will continue to apply for sensitive destinations.
Similarly, stakeholder consultation has been dispensed with for exports of items intended for international tenders and exhibitions. The change is expected to make it easier for Indian defence companies to participate in overseas tenders and display their products at international defence exhibitions without facing unnecessary procedural delays.
The revised framework also expands the range of products that can be exported through the OGEL mechanism. Specified parts and components of small-calibre arms intended for civil end-use, along with certain protective equipment, have been brought within the expanded export framework.
The reforms come at a time when India’s defence manufacturing and export sector is witnessing significant growth. Defence exports reached a record Rs 38,424 crore in 2025-26, while domestic defence production touched an all-time high of Rs 1.78 lakh crore during the same financial year.
The government views the expansion of defence exports as an important component of India’s broader efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing, encourage private-sector participation and establish Indian defence companies as reliable suppliers in international markets.
By reducing routine procedural requirements while retaining controls for sensitive technologies and destinations, the reforms seek to strike a balance between export facilitation and national security considerations.
The wider OGEL coverage could also provide Indian manufacturers with greater access to international customers and help them build longer-term relationships with foreign defence companies and governments.
For the Indian defence industry, the measures are expected to improve the ease of doing business in overseas markets by reducing administrative delays, simplifying authorisation procedures and providing greater predictability for recurring exports.
The latest reforms therefore represent another step in the government’s effort to transform India from a major defence importer into a growing exporter of military equipment, components and technologies, while strengthening the domestic industrial ecosystem under the broader Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India objectives.
