Rajnath Singh

Rajnath Singh

Union Minister of Defence · BJP

Defence

BJP Lucknow Lakshadweep

Career

Defence Minister since 2019; Home Minister 2014–19

Current term

MP since 2014 · Present

Born

1951 · Age 75

Education

MSc (Physics), Gorakhpur University

Terms in Office

Defence Minister since 2019; Home Minister 2014–19

About

Defense Minister of India since 2019 Rajnath Singh is an Indian politician and lecturer who is serving as the 29th Minister of Defence since 2019 and as the Deputy Leader of the House, Lok Sabha since 2014. He is a Member of Parliament from Lucknow since 2014. He previously served as the 25th Union Minister of Home Affairs in the first Modi ministry from 2014 to 2019, making him the first person born after Indian independence to hold the office. He was President of the Bharatiya Janata Party from 2005 to 2009 and again from 2013 to 2014. Singh is a veteran leader of the BJP who started his career as a swayamsevak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh..

2024 Lok Sabha Result ECI ↗

54.2%

Vote Share

3.23 lakh

Winning Margin

52.1%

Turnout

Runner-up

Projects & Initiatives 4 ongoing

Agnipath Scheme

Ongoing

BudgetBudget-neutral vs regular recruitment; Agniveer Corpus Fund: ₹30,000 crore over 5 years

Since 2022 · 4-year short-service military enlistment scheme for youth aged 17.5–23; 25% retained permanently. Controversially introduced in June 2022; protests followed; scheme continues with modifications.

Defence Exports Growth

Ongoing

BudgetTarget: ₹50,000 crore/year by 2028–29

ReachGovt. reported: defence exports reached ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025–26, up from ₹23,622 crore in FY 2024–25 · PIB Apr 2026

TargetExport target 2028-29

Since 2019 · Policy and manufacturing push for India to become a major defence exporter. PLI for defence (₹1,000 crore), iDEX startup fund, and Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 enabling private sector.

Border Roads Expansion

Ongoing

Budget₹7,394 crore BRO capital allocation (BE 2026–27) · PIB Feb 2026; record expenditure of ₹16,690 crore in FY 2024–25

ReachGovt. reported: 6,500+ km of border roads constructed/upgraded since 2014; Zoji La tunnel, Atal Tunnel commissioned.

Since 2019 · Border Roads Organisation (BRO) accelerated construction of strategic roads, tunnels, and bridges in border areas, particularly along the China and Pakistan frontiers.