Ministry of Defence (India)

The Ministry of Defence (Raksha Mantralaya) is the Indian government ministry responsible for coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the Indian Armed Forces. It is headed by the Minister of Defence, a cabinet minister.

The primary mission of the Ministry of Defence is to safeguard India's sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity against external aggression and internal threats. This is achieved through maintaining and developing the defence capabilities of the three Services of the Armed Forces, namely the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force.

The Ministry also deals with matters relating to:

• Procurement of defence equipment and supplies.
• Defence production and indigenisation efforts.
• International cooperation in defence matters.
• Resettlement and welfare of ex-servicemen.
• Ordnance Factories and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).
• Research and Development (R&D) related to defence technologies, through the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The Ministry is composed of several departments, including the Department of Defence, the Department of Defence Production, the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, and the Department of Military Affairs. The Department of Military Affairs is headed by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

The Minister of Defence is assisted by the Minister of State for Defence. The administrative head of the Ministry is the Defence Secretary, who is a senior civil servant. The Chiefs of Staff of the three Services are responsible for the operational command and control of their respective forces and report to the Minister of Defence through the Defence Secretary.