New Delhi: Days after the government announced a policy change to encourage self-reliance in the defence sector, DRDO provided a list of 108 systems and sub-systems to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday which have been identified for indigenous development only.
The list of 108 items that the industry would design, develop and manufacture was handed over to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh by DRDO secretary Dr G Satheesh Reddy.
DRDO will also provide its support to industries in this development process, according to the Defence Minister’s office. The RMO also said that this will “pave the way for Indian Defence industry to develop many technologies towards building an AtmaNirbhar Bharat. Raksha Mantri has extended his good wishes to Team DRDO in their future endeavours.”
The systems and sub-systems in the list of 108 items include mini and micro UAVs, ROVs, uncooled NV-IR sights for weapons (short-range), mountain footbridge, floating bridge (both metallic), mines laying and marking equipment.
A @DRDO_India delegation met with Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh to apprise him about 108 systems and subsystems which have been identified for designing and development by the Indian Industry only.
The DRDO will provide its support to industries in this development process.
— रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) August 24, 2020
Armoured Engineering reconnaissance vehicle (AERV), Anti-terrorist vehicle, multispectral camouflage net, bulletproof vehicle, Missile canisters, marine rocket launcher, satellite navigation receivers, TR modules, among others are also included in the list.
Earlier this month, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) MK I A, Land-Attack Cruise Missiles (Long-Range),155 mm Artillery Ammunition were put among the list of the 101 items that have been put under an import embargo by the Ministry of Defence.
The import embargo will come into effect on these items in a phased manner. The deadline had been set for December 2025.
Singh had then announced that the MoD will introduce import embargo on 101 items beyond given timeline to boost indigenisation of defence production and stated that it is as a big step towards ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliance) in defence.
