According to a statement by the Ministry of Defence, this latest list comprises 346 strategically important items, including Line Replacement Units, Systems, Sub-systems, Assemblies, Sub-assemblies, Spares, Components, and raw materials. The import substitution value of these items is estimated to be Rs 1,048 crore.

From the stipulated timelines, these items will henceforth only be procured from Indian industries.

This move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and the Ministry of Defence’s ongoing efforts to foster self-reliance in defence production under the leadership of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh.

The SRIJAN PORTAL, launched in 2020, serves as a platform where DPSUs and Service Headquarters (SHQs) list defence items for indigenisation, targeting industries including Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups, read the press release.

This initiative has led to substantial progress in the indigenisation of defence items.

The DPSUs, which include Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), BEML Limited, India Optel Limited (IOL), Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE), and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), will indigenise the items in the fifth PIL through various routes.

These routes include the ‘Make’ procedure or in-house development involving industry partners, including MSMEs. This approach is expected to stimulate economic growth, enhance investment in the defence sector, and reduce import dependency.

Additionally, it will boost the design capabilities of the domestic defence industry through collaboration with academia and research institutions.

To facilitate this process, the DPSUs have begun issuing Expressions of Interest (EoI) and Requests for Proposal (RFP) on their websites, with links provided on the Srijan Portal Dashboard. Industry players, MSMEs, and start-ups are encouraged to participate actively, the statement said.

Previously, the DDP had notified four PILs comprising 4,666 items for DPSUs, of which 2,972 items, worth Rs 3,400 crore in import substitution value, have already been indigenised.

These five lists for DPSUs are in addition to the five positive indigenisation lists of 509 items notified by the Department of Military Affairs (DMA), which include highly complex systems, sensors, weapons, and ammunition.

As of June 2024, DPSUs and SHQs have offered over 36,000 defence items for indigenisation. More than 12,300 items have been indigenised in the last three years alone, resulting in DPSUs placing orders worth Rs 7,572 crore on domestic vendors. (ANI)