Defence Ministry announced import embargo on 101 defence items

Recently, the Department of Military Affairs (DMA), Ministry of Defence (MoD) has prepared a list of 101 items for which there would be an embargo on the import beyond the timeline indicated against them in an effort towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

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Key-Points

The list of 101 embargoed items comprises of some high technology weapon systems like artillery guns, assault rifles, corvettes, sonar systems, transport aircrafts, LCHs, radars and many other items to fulfil the needs of the defence Services.

The list also includes wheeled Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) with indicative import embargo date of December 2021, of which the Army is expected to contract almost 200 at an approximate cost of over ₹5,000 crore.

The embargo on imports is planned to be progressively implemented between 2020 to 2024.

The Government also intends to reach a turnover of $25 billion through indigenously manufactured defence products and also expects to export products worth $5 billion.

Government has also decided that in any government contract over ₹200 crore, no foreign company can participate in the tendering process. This year ₹52,000 crore items are to be bought only from Indian companies.

MoD has also bifurcated the capital procurement budget for 2020-21 between domestic and foreign capital procurement routes.