Defence stocks surged after reports of a ₹2 lakh crore plan to acquire 114 Rafale jets under 'Made in India', boosting IAF’s fleet to 176. Defence Minister cleared DPM 2025 to streamline ₹1 lakh crore revenue procurement. The Nifty India Defence Index gained 1.45%, with Astra Microwave, Cochin Shipyard, Paras Defence and HAL among top gainers.