Enhancing investments in defence R&D is crucial for countries such as India. The current capital component of the budget for defence R&D in India stands at Rs 11,981 crore – a lot lower compared to China or the US. Steps are being taken to further increase allocations to R&D while also attempting a more efficient ecosystem for the same. The recent announcement of reserving 25% of the defence R&D budget for industry, startups and academia is a positive step in that direction. A lot more can be done by further leveraging the private sector and ensuring an R&D investment- friendly atmosphere. In this edition of Primus Partners’ Sector in Focus report on Aerospace & Defence, we share our views on amplifying India’s focus on defence R&D to achieve further self-reliance in critical and strategic segments.