From Rs 1,521 crore in 2016-17, India's defence exports have risen ten-fold to Rs 16,000 crore this year
By Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 2nd April 23
India’s exports of defence equipment have reached an all-time high of Rs 16,000 crore in Financial Year 2022-23, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on Saturday.
This amounts to a ten-fold increase since 2016-17, when exports were Rs 1,521 crore. While India remains the world’s biggest defence importer, its defence and aerospace industry is now exporting defence products to over 85 countries.
This is an important step towards the MoD’s stated target of exporting Rs 25,000 crore worth of defence and aerospace equipment annually by 2025.
“Indian industry has shown its capability of design and development to the world, with 100 firms exporting defence products at present. The rising defence exports and participation of 104 countries in Aero India 2023 are proof of India’s growing defence manufacturing capabilities,” stated an MoD release today.
“Today, India, which was known as an importer about eight years back, exports major platforms like Dornier-228, 155 mm Advanced Towed Artillery Guns (ATAGs), BrahMos Missiles, Akash Missile systems, radars, simulators, mine protected vehicles, armoured vehicles, Pinaka rockets and launchers, ammunitions, thermal imagers, body armours, besides systems, Line Replaceable Units and parts and components of avionics and small arms. There is growing global demand of LCA-Tejas, Light Combat Helicopters, aircraft carrier, MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) activities etc.,” said the MoD.
To boost defence exports, the government has taken a number of policy initiatives and brought reforms over the last 5-6 years. These include simplification of export procedures, which have been made industry friendly. Delays have been curtailed with ease of doing business measures, such as end-to-end online export authorisation.
Besides these, the government has notified three Open General Export Licenses (OGEL) for export of parts and components, transfer of technology (ToT) and for major platforms and equipment.
OGEL is a one-time export license, which permits the industry to export specified items to specified destinations, enumerated in the OGEL, without seeking export authorisation during the validity of the OGEL.
In addition, export leads received from various countries have been disseminated through an online portal, on a real time basis, to registered Indian defence exporters to enable them to respond to export opportunities. Regular reviews are held with Indian missions abroad to promote Indian defence products. More than 40 webinars have been organized with friendly foreign countries (FFCs) with the involvement of Industry associations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has describes this achievement as a clear manifestation of India’s talent and the enthusiasm towards ‘Make in India’. He said the government will keep supporting efforts to make India a global hub of defence production.
Defence exports: Upward trend
(Rs in crores)
Financial Year | Total Export Value |
2016-17 | 1,521 |
2017-18 | 4,682 |
2018-19 | 10,745 |
2019-20 | 9,115 |
2020-21 | 8,434 |
2021-22 | 12,814 |
2022-23 | 15,920 |
(Source: Ministry of Defence)
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