Supporting India’s Goal of Self-Reliance for the Modern Battlefield and Soldier
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Sunil Raina Managing Director Customer & Account Management Collins Aerospace
14 SAILORS & WARRIORS
peaking at the Atmanirbhar Bharat Defence Industry Outreach Webinar on August 27 last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Efforts are being made to boost defence production, develop new technologies and give a bigger role to private players in the defence sector,” underlying the importance of private participation in strengthening India’s domestic defence manufacturing. He said his government is “rolling out the red carpet for the private sector,” by opening the way for 74% FDI (up from 49%) in defence production through an automatic route. A big push, and a much needed one, to boost domestic manufacturing and develop new technologies. This is a big opportunity for the Indian private sector, which has till now been kept out of defence production. The PM also referred to the recent labour reforms in some states which
reflect the current government’s mindset, reassuring manufacturers and citizens that reforms are not going to stop and that India’s commitment for domestic defence production are not just plans on paper. Reinforcing the resolve for selfreliance, the Ministry of Defence in 2020 listed 101 items as part of military platforms and equipment, whose import would be embargoed between now and 2025. This was done in the latest defence imports iteration of the 2016 policy to encourage indigenous manufacturing. The Indian armed forces can now source their products from indigenous manufacturers instead of importing them. The DRDO has also released a list of 108 systems and subsystems which will be designed and developed by the Indian defence industry, 2020 onwards. The DRDO will also provide support to the domestic industries to design,
