Announcing a series of far-reaching reforms for the defence sector, taking to Twitter, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said “the Ministry of Defence has prepared a list of 101 items for which there would be an embargo on the import beyond the timeline indicated against them. This is a big step towards self-reliance in defence”. These measures are on the lines to promote indigenous weapons over expensive foreign makes to boost indigenisation of defence production under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
Eying on contracts worth Rs 4 lakh crore
In a series of tweets, Defence Minister made some major announcements and said that following the embargo on certain defence imports, it is estimated that contracts worth almost Rs. 4 lakh crore will be placed upon the domestic industry within the next 6 to 7 years.
“The list is prepared by MoD after several rounds of consultations with all stakeholders, including the Armed Forces, public and private industry to assess current and future capabilities of the Indian industry for manufacturing various ammunition & equipment within India. Almost 260 schemes of such items were contracted by the Tri-Services at an approximate cost of Rs 3.5 lakh crore between April 2015 and August 2020. It is estimated that contracts worth almost Rs 4 lakh crore will be placed upon the domestic industry within the next 6 to 7 years,” Singh posted on the micro-blogging site.
Items worth almost Rs 1,30,000crore for Army, Air force, and 1,40,000 crore for Navy
“Of the total, items worth almost Rs 1,30,000 crore each are anticipated for the Army and the Air Force while items worth almost Rs 1,40,000 crore are anticipated by the Navy over the same period, the Minister announced.
“The list also includes, wheeled Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) with indicative import embargo date of December 2021, of which the Army is expected to contract almost 200 at an approximate cost of over Rs 5,000 crore,” he added.
Embargo on imports till 2024
Continuing to provide details, Singh said: “The embargo on imports is planned to be progressively implemented between 2020 to 2024. Our aim is to apprise the Indian defence industry about the anticipated requirements of the Armed Forces so that they are better prepared to realise the goal of indigenisation.” He added, “All necessary steps would be taken to ensure that timelines for production of equipment as per the Negative Import List are met, which will include a co-ordinated mechanism for handholding of the industry by the Defence Services.”
More equipment for import embargo
The Defence Minister said that more such equipment for import embargo would be identified progressively by the DMA in consultation with all stakeholders. “A due note of this will also be made in the DAP to ensure that no item in the negative list is processed for import in the future,” he said.
Separate budgetary head for domestic capital procurement
In an important step, the MoD has bifurcated the capital procurement budget for 2020-21 between domestic and foreign capital procurement routes. A separate budget head has been created with an outlay of nearly Rs 52,000 crore for domestic capital procurement in the current financial year.
“MoD has also bifurcated the capital procurement budget for 2020-21 between domestic and foreign capital procurement routes. A separate budget head has been created with an outlay of nearly Rs 52,000 crore for domestic capital procurement in the current financial year,” Singh added in his tweet.
Better opportunity to indigenous defence industry
The announcements are on the lines of the decision of Modi government which was pronounced on 16 May by Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman in which she said the government would make separate budgetary provisions for procuring Indian made defence equipment to help reduce the defence import bills as well as to give a booster dose to Make in India scheme a super success post-COVID-19 pandemic. She also informed that the government would come out with a negative list of weapons that can be banned from imports.
Echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s12 May clarion call for a self-reliant India based on the five pillars, i.e., Economy, Infrastructure, System, Demography and Demand and announced a special economic package for Self-Reliant India named ‘Atamnirbhar Bharat’, Defence Minister also said that the “decision will offer a great opportunity to the Indian defence industry to manufacture the items in the negative list by using their own design and development capabilities or adopting the technologies designed & developed by DRDO to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces.”
The list is prepared by MoD after several rounds of consultations with all stakeholders, including Army, Air Force, Navy, DRDO, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) and private industry to assess current and future capabilities of the Indian industry for manufacturing various ammunition/weapons/platforms/equipment within India.
Meanwhile, the Indian industry has welcomed the government’s announcement. In a statement, Bharat Forge Chairman Baba Kalyani said “The Kalyani Group welcomes announcement by the honorable Union Minister, Rajnath Singh. This strategic step will accelerate the Atmanirbhar Bharat narrative and bolster Indian defence equipment manufacturing industry. The growth of the domestic industry especially the MSME sector will lead to self-reliance, reduced expenditure on imports, saving of foreign currency, creating job opportunities, revival of consumption and ultimately getting us closer to the common goal of 5 trillion economy. We are committed and will support the Indian Government to achieve the goal.”
Here is the first of 101 Defence Weapons/Platforms Recommended for Import Embargo with effect from December 2020
SNo | Name of Platform/ Weapon/ System/ Equipment/ | Indicative Year- Import Embargo |
1. | 120mm Fin Stabilised Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS) Mark II Ammunition | Dec 2020 |
2. | 7.62×51 Sniper Rifle | Dec 2020 |
3. | Tracked Self Propelled (SP) Gun (155mm x 52 Cal) | Dec 2020 |
4. | Towed Artillery Gun (155mm x 52 Cal) | Dec 2020 |
5. | Short Range Surface to Air Missiles (Land variant) | Dec 2020 |
6. | Shipborne Cruise Missiles | Dec 2020 |
7. | Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) (Pinaka Variant) | Dec 2020 |
8. | Simulators Presenting Smart Ranges And Multi-Function Targets | Dec 2020 |
9. | Battalion Support Weapons Simulators | Dec 2020 |
10. | Container-based Simulators for Live Fire Training | Dec 2020 |
11. | Tailor-made Simulators for Counter Insurgency (CI)/Counter Terrorism (CT) based Training | Dec 2020 |
12. | Force-on-force Live Tactical Simulators / Infantry Weapon | Dec 2020 |
13. | Tank Simulators (driving, as well as, crew gunnery) | Dec 2020 |
14. | 155mm/39 Cal Ultra-Light Howitzer | Dec 2020 |
15. | Successor of Flycatcher & Upgraded Super Fledermaus (USFM) / Air Defence Fire Control Radar (ADFCR) | Dec 2020 |
16. | Component Level Repair Facility for Tank T-90 | Dec 2020 |
17. | Shipborne Close in Weapon System | Dec 2020 |
18. | Bullet Proof Jackets | Dec 2020 |
19. | Ballistic Helmets | Dec 2020 |
20. | Missile Destroyers | Dec 2020 |
21. | Multi-Purpose Vessel | Dec 2020 |
22. | Offshore Patrol Vessel | Dec 2020 |
23. | Next Generation Missile Vessels | Dec 2020 |
24. | Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts | Dec 2020 |
SNo | Name of Platform/ Weapon/ System/ Equipment/ | Indicative Year- Import Embargo |
25. | Water Jet Fast Attack Craft | Dec 2020 |
26. | Ammunition Barges | Dec 2020 |
27. | 50ton Bollard – Pull Tugs | Dec 2020 |
28. | Survey Vessels | Dec 2020 |
29. | Floating Dock | Dec 2020 |
30. | Diving Support Vessels | Dec 2020 |
31. | Pollution Control Vessels | Dec 2020 |
32. | Anti-Submarine Rocket Launchers | Dec 2020 |
33. | Shipborne Medium Range Gun | Dec 2020 |
34. | Torpedo Tube Launcher for Light Weight Torpedoes | Dec 2020 |
35. | Magneto – Rheological Anti Vibration Mounts | Dec 2020 |
36. | All variants of Depth Charges | Dec 2020 |
37. | Shipborne Sonar System for Large Ships | Dec 2020 |
38. | Hull Mounted Submarine Sonar | Dec 2020 |
39. | Short Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft | Dec 2020 |
40. | Anti-Submarine Rocket | Dec 2020 |
41. | Chaff Rockets | Dec 2020 |
42. | Chaff Rocket Launcher | Dec 2020 |
43. | Integrated Ship’s Bridge System | Dec 2020 |
44. | Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) MK I A – Enhanced Indigenised Content | Dec 2020 |
45. | Light Combat Helicopters | Dec 2020 |
46. | General Purpose Pre Fragmentation Bombs between 250-500 Kg | Dec 2020 |
47. | Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) for Transport Aircraft | Dec 2020 |
48. | Ground Based Mobile ELINT System | Dec 2020 |
49. | Transport Aircraft (Light) | Dec 2020 |
50. | GSAT-6 Satellite Terminals | Dec 2020 |
51. | Aerial Delivery Systems for Transport Aircraft | Dec 2020 |
52. | Digital Tropo Scatter/LOS Communication System | Dec 2020 |
53. | Low Level Transportable Radar | Dec 2020 |
54. | High Power Radar (HPR) | Dec 2020 |
55. | CBRN Detection & Monitoring System | Dec 2020 |
56. | CBRN Decontamination & Protection System | Dec 2020 |
57. | Parachute Tactical Assault (PTA)- G2 | Dec 2020 |
58. | Dragunov Upgrade System | Dec 2020 |
59. | PKMG Upgrade System | Dec 2020 |
60. | Simulators for A Vehicles / B Vehicles | Dec 2020 |
61. | Simulators for Towed and Self Propelled Guns of Air Defence | Dec 2020 |
62. | Simulators for Correction of Fire by Observers | Dec 2020 |
63. | Military trucks of 4×4 and above variants: 12×12, 10×10, 8×8, 6×6 | Dec 2020 |
64. | Fixed Wing Mini UAVs | Dec 2020 |
65. | 500 Ton Self Propelled Water Barges | Dec 2020 |
66. | Software Defined Radio (TAC) for IN | Dec 2020 |
67. | Next-Generation Maritime Mobile Coastal Battery (Long Range) | Dec 2020 |
68. | Advance Landing Ground Communication Terminals (ALGCTs)for AGLs | Dec 2020 |
69. | Field Artillery Tractor (FAT) 6X6 for Medium Guns | Dec 2020 |
With Effect From Dec 2021
SNo | Name of Platform/ Weapon/ System/ Equipment/ | Indicative Year- Import Embargo |
70. | Wheeled Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV) | Dec 2021 |
71. | Light Machine Gun | Dec 2021 |
72. | 125 mm Fin Stabilised Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS) New Generation Ammunition | Dec 2021 |
73. | Assault Rifle 7.62 x 39mm | Dec 2021 |
74. | 30 mm Ammunition for Infantry Fighting Systems | Dec 2021 |
75. | Mine Fragmentation | Dec 2021 |
76. | Mine Anti-tank | Dec 2021 |
77. | Mine Anti-Personnel Blast | Dec 2021 |
78. | Multipurpose Grenade | Dec 2021 |
79. | Inertial Navigation System for Ship Application | Dec 2021 |
80. | Conventional Submarines | Dec 2021 |
Dec 2022 Onwards
81. | 40mm UBGL (Under Barrel Grenade Launcher) | Dec 2022 |
82. | Lightweight Rocket Launcher | Dec 2022 |
83. | 155 mm Artillery Ammunition | Dec 2022 |
84. | EW Systems | Dec 2022 |
85. | Material Handling Crane 2.5 to 7.5 Tons (Vehicle Mounted) | Dec 2023 |
86. | GRAD BM Rocket | Dec 2023 |
87. | 30MM HEI/HET | Dec 2023 |
88. | ASTRA-MK I Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile (BVR AAM) | Dec 2023 |
89. | EW Suit for MI-17 V5 | Dec 2023 |
90. | Communication Satellite GSAT-7C | Dec 2023 |
91. | Satellite GSAT 7R | Dec 2023 |
92. | Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA) | Dec 2023 |
93. | Expendable Aerial Targets | Dec 2024 |
94. | Small Jet Engines with 120kgf thrust | Dec 2024 |
95. | Light Low Level Terrain Radar (LLLWR) | Dec 2024 |
96. | Close in Weapon System (Land based) | Dec 2024 |
97. | 23 mm ZU Ammunitions | Dec 2024 |
98. | 30mm VOG 17 | Dec 2024 |
99. | Electronic Fuses for Artillery Ammunitions | Dec 2024 |
100. | Bi- Modular Charge System (BMCS ) | Dec 2024 |
101. | Long Range – Land Attack Cruise Missile | Dec 2025 |
Ravi Shankar