Bhatt said Hindustan Shipyard is constructing fleet support vessels
The process for obtaining Cabinet Committee on Security’s (CCS) approval for design and prototype development of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) has been initiated, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha on 14 Mar 2022.
The 5th Generation fighter aircraft, due to very special features, are costlier than 4th Generation fighter aircraft.
Since AMCA is an indigenous 5th Generation aircraft, it is less costlier than similar aircraft available outside.
Bhatt also said that the proposal for acquisition of five fleet support vessels is in advanced stage.
For design and construction of fleet support vessels, Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) has entered into a collaborator contract as per extant procurement procedures. Presently, the case is at advanced stage of negotiations.
Meanwhile, the Government has taken several policy initiatives in the past few years under ‘Make in India’ program and brought in reforms to encourage indigenous design, development and manufacture of defence equipment in the country, thereby expanding the production of indigenous defence equipment.
These initiatives, inter-alia, include according priority to procurement of capital items from domestic sources under Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP)-2020;
Notification of two ‘Positive Indigenisation Lists’ of total 209 items of Services and one ‘Positive Indigenisation List’ of total 2851 items of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), for which there would be an embargo on the import beyond the timelines indicated against them;
Simplification of Industrial licensing process with longer validity period; Liberalisation of Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) policy allowing 74% FDI under automatic route;
Simplification of Make Procedure;
Launch of Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) scheme involving Startups & Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs);
Implementation of Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order 2017;
Launch of an indigenisation portal namely SRIJAN to facilitate indigenisation by Indian Industry including MSMEs;
Reforms in Offset policy with thrust on attracting investment and Transfer of Technology for Defence manufacturing by assigning higher multipliers;
and Establishment of two Defence Industrial Corridors, one each in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Many significant products have been produced in the country during the last few years which are being used by the Indian Armed Forces.
These include 155mm Artillery Gun system ‘Dhanush’, Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’, Surface to Air Missile system ‘Akash’, Main Battle Tank ‘Arjun’, T-90 Tank, T-72 tank, BMP-II/IIK, Su-30 MK1, Cheetah helicopter, Advanced Light Helicopter, Dornier Do-228, High mobility Trucks, INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Chennai, Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette (ASWC), Arjun Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle, Bridge Laying Tank, Bi-Modular Charge System (BMCS) for 155mm Ammunition, Medium Bullet Proof Vehicle (MBPV), Weapon Locating Radar (WLR), Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), Software Defined Radios(SDR), Lakshya Parachute for Pilotless Target Aircraft, Opto Electronic Sights for battle tanks, Water Jet Fast Attack Craft, Inshore Patrol Vessel, Offshore Patrol Vessel, Fast Interceptor Boat, Landing Craft Utility, 25 T Tugs, etc. have been produced in the country during the last few years which are being used by the Indian Armed Forces.
The indigenous Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun Mk-1A designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is compatible with the present and future requirement of Armed Forces.
MBT Arjun Mk-1A is incorporated with 71 upgrades in comparison to MBT Arjun Mk-1, thereby endowed to have superior fire power, enhanced high mobility and excellent protection characteristics required to fulfil the challenging requirements of the battle field, said Bhatt.
The Government, in the last three years i.e. from 2018-19 to 2020-21 and current year till December 2021, has accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to 150 proposals worth Rs.247,515 crore approximately, under various categories of Capital procurement which promote domestic manufacturing as per DAP- 2020.
In addition, during the last three years i.e. from 2018-19 to 2020-21 and current year till January 2022, out of total 191 capital acquisition contracts signed, 121 have been signed with Indian vendors for capital procurement of defence equipment for Armed Forces, he said. fiinews.com
