New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): The demands for Indian defence equipment have increased following Operation Sindoor, said Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday, noting that the world military expenditure has increased to over USD 2.7 trillion in 2024, and a big market is awaiting India.

Speaking at the Controllers Conference organised by DRDO, the Union Defence Minister said, 'The world is looking towards our Defence sector. The valour that our soldiers have shown during Operation Sindoor, as well as the way we showcased the capabilities of our domestic equipment, has led to an increase in demand for our indigenous defence products. World military expenditure has increased to over $2.7 trillion in 2024 - such a big market is awaiting us.'

Singh further mentioned that India's Defence budget is bigger than the GDP of various countries in the world, highlighting the need to utilise the resources in the right way.

'...If you look at our Defence budget, it's bigger than the GDP of some countries in the world. When a significant portion of people's hard-earned income is allocated to the Defence Ministry, our responsibility increases exponentially--we ned effective growth. Our Defence expenditure should be such that not only does the budget increase, but also we should utilise it in the right way - by proper deployment at the right time for the right objective, ' said Union Minister Singh.

The Union Minister lauded the decision of the Defence Acquisition Council to grant permission for capital procurement from the GeM portal.

He said, 'Defence Acquisition Council for the first time has permitted the capital procurement from the GeM portal, it's a commendable step... I have also been informed that the department is working on the Comprehensive Pay System and centralised database management for defence personnel...'

The Union Minister further said, '...You have organised a controllers conference, but I think your mind should be open and receptive, so that you can discuss and share about the changes occurring in the defence ecosystem with all stakeholders. Such events give us a chance to do introspection and self-analysis. We can think about the reforms that are needed to bring... This department's responsibility is not just to manage accounts on paper, but also an important part of our security system. When you honestly, its impact even reaches the soldiers guarding our borders. They feel that they have a system behind them that will be with them in all circumstances...'

The Defence Accounts Department (DAD) is hosting the Controllers' Conference 2025 from July 7-9 at the Dr SK Kothari Auditorium, DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi.

The conference was inaugurated today by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the presence of top military and civilian leadership including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, the three service chiefs, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Financial Adviser (Defence Services) SG Dastidar, and Controller General of Defence Accounts Mayank Sharma, marking it as a key platform for shaping the future of India's defence financial architecture.

A flagship forum for policy dialogue, strategic review, and institutional innovation, the Controllers' Conference brings together top leadership from DAD, civil services, academia, think tanks, and stakeholders across the defence and finance sectors.

It serves as a vital platform for evaluating challenges, initiating reform, and advancing the role of financial governance in defence preparedness.

The theme of this year's conference, 'Transforming Financial Advice, Payment, Audit and Accounting through Defence Finance and Economics,' reflects a paradigm shift within the department, repositioning DAD from a finance & accounts body to a future-ready institution focused on Defence Finance and Economics.

This transformation, guided by the strategic vision articulated by the Defence Minister on October 1, 2024, is internally driven, inclusive, and aligned with emerging national security imperatives. The transition is anchored in DAD's new Mission Statement and Motto 'Alert, Agile, Adaptive' which will be formally released during the event.

The conference features eight high-level business sessions (Manan Satras), covering areas such as budget and accounts reform, internal audit restructuring, collaborative research, pricing innovation, and capacity building.

These sessions will explore the evolving role of Integrated Financial Advisors (IFAs) in balancing fiscal prudence with strategic support for a competitive and self-reliant defence industry.

Managing a defence budget of Rs 6.8 lakh crore, including Rs 1.7 lakh crore dedicated to pensions, DAD plays a pivotal role in payroll, pension disbursement, audit, procurement pricing, and strategic financial advice. Over the past year, the department has made significant strides in digital transformation, with flagship reforms like: -

SAMPURNA: An AI-driven, end-to-end automation system for defence procurement and payments, enhancing transparency and agility

SPARSH: Now serving over 32 lakh pensioners, this digital platform has redefined pension delivery with transparency and accessibility

SPARSH VAN: A mobile outreach innovation launched in Tamil Nadu, delivering pension services directly to veterans' doorsteps

e-Raksha Awaas: Automated recovery of over Rs 500 crore in rent, generating Rs 2,700+ crore in rent bills

Defence Travel System (DTS) and AI-based procurement tools: Building a smarter, data-centric financial network for defence. (ANI)