Defence News: Indian government is preparing a second negative list to curb the import of defence equipments in the country, said a top defence ministry official, adding that defence industry will have to meet the needs of future wars with future products.
“The government is working on the second negative import list of defence items,” said Raj Kumar, Secretary in the Department of Defence Production.
Addressing a webinar organised by industry body FICCI, the top officer in the department of defence production said it would be a continuous process and government would continue to expand the negative list for defence equipments that cannot be imported in the country.
Addressing a virtual conference on the Indian Army’s Make Projects-2020, he invited private defence companies to invest and explore opportunities in the defence sector.
“We are also examining when the second list will come, and we expect you (industry) to come forward and start investing to meet our requirements,” Raj Kumar said.
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He said that the announcement of the first set of embargoed items on imports will further boost and accelerate the process of indigenization.
“Industry will also have to meet the needs of future wars with future products. The Industry will now have to shoulder the responsibility of catering to the requirements of embargoed items domestically,” said the top defence official.
Top defence officer also discussed the various policy initiatives launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to make the sector more attractive for the private sector.
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Department of Defence Production underscores potential of Army Make Projects 2020
“All policies of the government, including the Defence Industrial Corridors, Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy and the Negative Import List are focusing to ensure that our industry becomes the top producer of defence items in the world,” Kumar said.
Highlighting the potential of Army Make Projects-2020, Raj Kumar said that the industry should stand up to the needs of the Army, both in terms of quality as well as quantity and be price competitive.
“We want to Make for India and for the world. We also want you to export and the government will stand side by side with the industry to promote exports,” assured the secretary.
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The office also informed that the proposal for up to 74% FDI in defence sector through automated route has already been submitted to the Cabinet.
Prime Minister Narenra Modi’s government has set an ambitious target of attaining target of US$ 25 billion of domestic production and US$ 5 billion of exports by 2025 under the Draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020.
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