This “4th Positive Indigenisation List” will include Rs 715 crore worth of high-end materials and spares, whose import will be permitted only upto a specified date. As each one’s import deadline elapses, it will have to be procured from Indian industry
By Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 15thMay 23
With the aim of promoting “aatmanirbharta” (self reliance) in weaponry and defence equipment, and minimising imports by defence public dector undertakings (DPSUs), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Sunday promulgated a list of 928 strategically-important spares and components that would face curbs on their import.
This so-called “4thPositive Indigenisation List (PIL)” will include Rs 715 crore worth of high-end materials and spares the import of which will be permitted only until a date specified for each. After each one’s import deadline elapses, it will have to be procured from Indian industry.
This fourth PIL follows three earlier PILs, which restricted the import of a range of line replacement units (LRUs), sub-systems, assemblies, spares and components of defence systems.
The 1st PIL, comprising 101 items, was promulgated in August 2020. The 2nd PIL comprising of 108 items was promulgated in May 2021. The 3rd PIL, comprising of 101 items, was promulgated in April 2022.
The MoD has also notified three PILs in respect of DPSUs, comprising 3,738 major line replacement units (LRUs), sub-systems, assemblies, spares and components, each with an embargo on their import from defined timelines.
Further, more than 26,000 defence items have been uploaded on the MoD’s SRIJAN defence portal, and offered to the industry for indigenisation. So far, 7,031 items have already been indigenised, catering to the domestic and global markets.
According to MoD data, defence imports have reduced from 36.7 per cent of capital expenditure in 2018-19 to 46 per cent of capital expenditure till December 2022.
Some 2,500 items have already been indigenised from the earlier lists and 1,238 items are due to be indigenised in three specified timelines. Of these 1,238 items, 310 items have been indigenised, so far.
It has been planned that the DPSUs will undertake indigenisation of these items through different routes under the “Make” category; in addition to development in-house through the capabilities of medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) that are a part of private Indian industry.
The implementation of import bans is expected to provide impetus to economic growth, to enhanced investment in defence, and to reduced the DPSUs’ import dependence. This is also expected to augment the design capabilities of the domestic defence industry by involving academia and research institutions.
The DPSUs have been instructed to initiate the procurement of these notified items. Details are available on the SRIJAN portal (https://srijandefence.gov.in/).
# aatmanirbharta implies hard work. we in our country do not reward hard 'work', success goes to those who are adept at 'working' the system. aatmanirbharta is a romance, no different from vishvaguru; not an aspiration, but simply a romance. even when the text may proclaim ostentatiously, not just the cognoscenti but simply everyone except the autistic know that nothing is carved in stone. the small print always says - for good and sufficient reason, in public interest; viz. conditions apply.
ReplyDeleteanybody who has been to a bazaar would have seen in the busy hubbub a calm personality, alert, intelligent, modestly attired in traditional dhoti, reclining against bolsters in his lair, nothing on display, a strong-box safe in one corner, telephones, portraits of deities and grandfather, great-grandfather. the signboard outside merely says - kanhaiyalal sahukar, commission agent.