An Expanded Negative List of Defence Imports for India’s Self Reliance Goal
India’s plan of “Atmnirbhar Bharat” is all set to take a step forward for cutting down in the list of defence imports to make less dependency on foreign exporters. India is planning to no longer import some of new age weapons like loitering munitions, counter drone systems and a range of small arms and ammunition. Along with this, all light single engine helicopters, Navy’s next generation corvette, armoured recovery and reconnaissance vehicles are also added in the negative list. A range of 5.56 mm carbines and anti-material rifles are included too. The Indian manufactures were said to work on production of a large set of ammunition; ranging from 40mm grenades, 80mm warhead rockets, limpet mines and piercing incendiary bullets for supporting India’s self reliance goal. Although, the original negative list was drafted in December 2020, that included towed artillery guns, attack helicopters and conventional submarines, was the first major step planned to boost the domestic defence production.
Officially, the defence import of India has been declined in years with 33% in fall, yet India remained in second spot on the record of world’s second largest importer of defence equipment after Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Defence is working to cut defence imports in 2022 by $2 billion, in a statement followed by the statement where Defence Minister Rajnath Singh this year that said-“With an aim of encouraging the manufacture of defence related items in India, our endeavour will remain to bring down defence imports by at least USD two billion by 2022. Between 2016 and 2019, as many as 138 proposals worth over USD 37 billion for domestic manufacturing have been approved”. The decision taken by centre is said to make a productive effect for India in future.
