AbstractThis paper investigates robust exponential stability for discrete‐time delay impulsive systems with parametric uncertainties. The parametric uncertainties in the systems are assumed to be time varying and norm bounded. Using Lyapunov functionals, some robust exponential stability criteria are given. It is shown that the time interval between the nearest two impulses should be small enough, i.e., impulses must act frequently, when the impulses are employed to stabilize the original impulse‐free system that is not robustly stable. Conversely, when the original system without impulses is robustly stable, the time interval between the nearest two impulses should be large enough to let the system with impulsive perturbations retain its stability property. It should be noted that this is the first time that impulsive robust exponential stabilization results are given via Lyapunov functionals for discrete‐time uncertain delay impulsive systems. Some examples, including an example which cannot be studied by the existing results, are also presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the obtained results.