The Government of India has decided to Ban the import of around 1000 (928 to be precise) military items, including line replacement units, sub-systems, and spares. All the specified will come under the import ban between December 2023 and December 2029. India is on its track to push for self-reliance in defence manufacturing covering important products like fighter crafts, tanks, warships, and various types of ammunition.
Viewing an Increased Domestic Defence Industry
This is the fourth list of strategically vital components used by defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) that have been subjected to an import ban in the last two years. It follows three such lists released by the defence ministry in December 2021, March 2022, and August 2022.
The revised list includes 928 goods with a total import substitution value of 715 crores, to promote ‘Atmanirbharta’ in defense and reduce imports by DPSUs, the defence ministry has approved the 4th positive indigenization list of 928 strategically important LRUs/sub-systems/spares and components, including high-end materials and spares, with an import substitution value of 715 crores. The listed items will be manufactured and procured from the local industries after the timeline has been specified. Several parts of Sukhoi-30, Jaguar, Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) planes, magazines, firefighting systems, etc are on the list too.
Around 2,500 goods from the previous three lists have been indigenized, and 1,238 have been identified for manufacturing in India in phases through 2028-29. So far, 310 of the 1,238 goods have been indigenously produced, they added. The DPSUs will indigenize these items through various routes under the ‘Make’ category (the cornerstone of the Make in India initiative), as well as in-house development using the capabilities of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and private Indian industry, according to the ministry, providing impetus to economic growth, increased defence investment, and reduced DPSU import dependence.
India has used import bans as part of a two-pronged strategy to promote indigenization. One method prohibits the importation of weapons and systems such as fighter planes, warships, helicopters, and artillery guns, while the other prohibits the importation of subsystems, spares, and components that are part of larger weapon platforms.
As part of the former, India has published four additional lists imposing a phased import ban on 411 different types of weapons and platforms, including lightweight tanks, naval utility helicopters, artillery guns, missiles, destroyers, ship-borne cruise missiles, light combat aircraft, light transport aircraft, long-range land-attack cruise missiles, basic trainer aircraft, airborne early warning and control systems, and multi-barrel rocket launchers.
India is exporting military products and hardware to around 85 countries that include missiles, offshore patrol vessels, protective gear, surveillance systems, and different types of radars. Weapons and systems that hold export potential include the Tejas light combat aircraft, different types of helicopters, artillery guns, Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, Akash surface-to-air missile systems, tanks, sonars, and radars. Much Exports and reduced imports will make India self-reliant in the defence sector leading to increased jobs, a high forex reserve, and the country’s status of net exporter of weapons.
To crack the SSB Interview, You can join our SSB interview live classes batch and we recommend you to Enroll SSB INTERVIEW ONLINE COURSE. Trusted by thousands of defence aspirants.
