Indian Armed Forces require a ‘positive import list’ for defence equipment

The DAP subsequently provides precedence to the ‘functionality improvement’ over ‘indigenous procurement’particularly if time is a constraint and safety can’t be compromised. (Representational picture: IE)

By Captain Vikram Mahajan (Retd)., 

In Could 2020, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a clarion name for an ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ or a ‘self-reliant India’.The announcement discovered favour in all sectors, together with defence. Following the announcement, a ‘unfavourable import checklist’ of defence tools final 12 months was launched. The checklist designated 101 defence merchandise and a time-frame past which there could be an import ban on the tools that might thereafter solely be manufactured domestically. The ‘checklist’ additionally discovered point out within the new Defence Acquisition Process (DAP), which was launched in October 2020.A second checklist containing 108 gadgets, rechristened as ‘constructive indigenisation checklist’ was launched this month.

The scope of Atma Nirbharta has expanded to segregate the defence price range into ‘tools mandated to be manufactured domestically’ vs ‘tools that will likely be imported.’ In accordance with the defence capital price range, the allocations for home manufacturing has been elevated from 58% amounting to Rs 51930 crore($ 7 Billion)} for the 12 months 2020-21, to 63% {amounting to Rs 71438 crores(round $10 billion)} for the 12 months 2021-2022.

Many different initiatives have been undertaken within the defence sector for the reason that name for Atma Nirbharta, together with, the draft ‘Defence Manufacturing and Export Promotion Coverage’ (DPEPP) mentioning the doublingthe share of ‘home procurement’ over a interval of 5 years. The Defence Analysis and Improvement Organisation (DRDO) launched a separate checklist of 108 methods and subsystems which will likely be designed and developed solely by the Indian trade. The federal government and defence specialists have held seminars and webinars on ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ to debate the impression. Moreover, the AeroIndia 2021 held earlier this 12 months targeted on the ‘vibrant defence manufacturing ecosystem in India.’

As the federal government and its companies concentrate on the idea of self-reliance, two essential areas have taken a again seat: general functionality improvement of the armed forces and the position performed by the 40 % of the defence materials that may nonetheless be procured from overseas.

Functionality improvement of the Indian armed forces comes from the Built-in Functionality Improvement Plan (ICDP), a doc that lays down the deliberate procurement of desired tools over a span of 10 years. ICDP lays down the navy tools that the Indian Military, Navy and Air Pressure requires, however doesn’t outline the ‘supply of procurement’. The prioritisation of the supply of procurement is summed up in Chapter 2 of DAP 2020, as:

“Choice will likely be given to indigenous design, improvement and manufacturing of defence tools. The time required for the procurement and supply from overseas sources vis-à-vis the time required for making it inside India, together with the urgency and criticality of the requirement will likely be examined earlier than deciding to proceed on categorisation. Subsequently, wherever Indian Business is able to manufacturing the required tools inside the timelines required by the Companies, the procurement will likely be created from indigenous sources….”

The DAP subsequently provides precedence to the ‘functionality improvement’ over ‘indigenous procurement’particularly if time is a constraint and safety can’t be compromised.

Allow us to take a step again and establish the merchandise that have been procured by way of emergency powers, or have been being expedited, after the Balakot skirmish in 2019 and through the Indo-China standoff in 2020. Apart from dashing up the acquisition of 21 MIG-29, 12 SU-30 fighters, there have been BVR missiles, precision bombs, anti- radiation missiles, anti-tank missiles, Sig Sauer rifles and lightweight tanks amongst others. All have been procured from overseas nations. Procurement of the tools was in fast response to the threats on the border. Nonetheless, because the menace subsided, the acquisition of indigenous tools has taken precedence over functionality improvement.

This transformation is obvious from the signing of the six Pinaka Rocket Launcher regiments and 118 Arjun MK-1 tanks for the Indian Military, 83 Tejas Mark 1A fighters for the Indian Air Pressure, and the SDR radio for the Indian Navy. Nonetheless, any main procurement from 42% of the steadiness price range has been conspicuous by its absence. The final large contract signed from the steadiness price range was the 24 MRH in February 2020.

The one different induction of significance is the ‘leasing’ of two Sea Guardian drones by the Indian Navy. The choice on the acquisition of round 30 drones, 10 for every service, has been pending for over two years. It’s pertinent to say {that a} related request for buy of 18 MQ-9Bs by UAE (a rustic one fourth the dimensions of the state of Maharashtra) was accredited by the U.S. Authorities earlier this 12 months.

There isn’t a doubting the talent of the Indian residents, or the aptitude of Indian trade to develop tools with superior know-how. Afterall, when the U.S. downgraded the Indian request for a supercomputer for climate prediction from CRAY XMP-24 to CRAY XMP-14 in 1987, India constructed its personal supercomputer PARAM. Nonetheless, excessive know-how tools takes time to develop, and the Indian armed forces must all the time be geared up given the present geo-political and strategic challenges at its borders.

It’s crucial that the tools that falls beneath essential necessities needs to be recognized and when wanted imported at once to reinforce the aptitude of the Indian Armed Forces. Similar to the ‘unfavourable import checklist’, a ‘constructive import checklist’ with a timeline needs to be launched to make sure Indian forces have what they want for different near-term contingencies. This would supply overseas distributors foresight of the procurement plan, necessities, and can stop conditions the place the Indian Armed Forces has to resort to emergency purchases or leasing defence tools.Whereas it’s essential that procurement and manufacturing of navy tools in India ought to proceed, it’s key {that a} steadiness between home manufacturing and import of weapons is maintained, to maintain up with the required ‘functionality improvement’ which is set by the technological prowess of the adversary.

(The writer is Director, Aerospace and Defence, USISPF. Views expressed are private and don’t replicate the official place or coverage of Monetary Specific On-line.)