Announcing the ‘Aero India’ conclave in Bengaluru, the Defence Minister highlighted that defence exports grew by 30 times over the past decade.
- Aero India is Asia’s largest airshow and the theme for the current conclave is ‘BRIDGE (Building Resilience through International Defence and Global Engagement)’.
Significance of Defence Indigenisation for India
- Augment Sovereign Military Strengths: Domestic production enables India to avoid global sanctions, like the US CAATSA, while securing critical missiles and equipment.
- Modern Warfare Readiness: Example, ADITI scheme has been launched to develop around 30 critical deep-tech and strategic technologies currently lacking in the country.
- India as a Net Security Provider: Example: BrahMos missile exported to the Philippines which enhanced India’s strategic presence in the Indian Ocean Region
- Economic Growth: Creates jobs, drives innovation, and attracts investments.
Initiatives for Defence Indigenization
- Policy and Schemes: Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy, ‘Make in India’, notification of ‘Positive Indigenization List’, Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), etc.
- Global Cooperation: Enhanced FDI limits (74% - Automatic Route; 100% - Government Route for those likely to result in access to modern technology.), etc.
- Others: Corporatization of Ordnance Factory Board, Defence Industrial Corridors, SRIJAN Portal, etc.
