Defence Ministry puts curbs on import of 351 more items

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 29

The Defence Ministry on Wednesday announced a fresh list of 351 military equipment like sub-systems and components that will not be allowed to be imported after December next year.

It is the third list released by the ministry in the past 16 months and it comes as part of the government’s overall aim to make India a hub of manufacturing of military platforms and equipment.

The ministry said the new initiative would save foreign exchange equivalent to around Rs 3,000 crore annually. It also released a list of 2,500 items that it said have already been “indigenised”.

A statement said, “A positive indigenisation list of sub-systems, assemblies, sub-assemblies and components have been notified by the department of defence production.”

This is aimed at efforts to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing and minimise imports by defence public sector undertakings.

The items that will not be allowed to be imported, among others, are laser warning sensor, high-pressure check valve, high-pressure globe valve, drainage intrusion detection systems, various types of cables, sockets and voltage control oscillator.

In previous lists, military platforms like transport aircraft, light combat, helicopters, conventional submarines, cruise missiles, airborne early warning systems, tank engines and radars were put on the list that will not be imported.

The ministry said the items mentioned in the list would only be procured from Indian industries as per the timelines indicated.

According to the notification, import restrictions on the first set of 172 items will come into force by December next year, while the same provisions will be applicable on another batch of 89 components by December 2023. Import restrictions on another set of 90 items will come into effect by December 2024.

The Defence Ministry has set a goal of a turnover of USD 25 billion (Rs 1.75 lakh crore) in defence manufacturing in the next five years that included an export target of USD 5 billion (Rs 35,000 crore) worth of military hardware. (With inputs from PTI)