The Indian government said on Sunday that it would ban the import of more than 100 items of military equipment in a bid to boost its own economy and improve self-control in weapons factory.
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said the government plans to gradually lift the embargo on selected military imports by at least 2024.
Among the military equipment, high-tech weapon systems and range from assault rifles and artillery to aircraft and fighter helicopters were transported, Singh said in a statement.
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FIL- In this February 7, 2020 photo, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh holds a model of a light machine gun during DefExpo20 in Lucknow, India. India will ban the import of 101 items of military equipment in an effort to boost domestic production and improve self-control in weapons manufacturing, Singh said Sunday. (AP Photo / Rajesh Kumar Singh, file)
“Our goal is to approach the Indian defense sector beyond the expected requirements of the Armed Forces, so that they are better prepared to achieve the goal of indigenization,” Singh wrote on Twitter. “This is a big step towards confidence in defense.”
In May, India announced that global companies could invest up to 74% in the country’s defense production units, up from 49%, without requiring any government approval. It was hoped that the new policy would attract foreign companies with high-end technologies to set up their bases in the country in collaboration with local industry.
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The government then announced that India would stop importing weapons that could be made domestically, in line with the vision to make the Indian economy independent amid the crisis in coronavirus.
India, a major buyer of military equipment, was largely dependent on the former Soviet Union during the Cold War. But it has diversified its purchases by opting for US equipment.
During President Trump’s visit in February, the two countries signed a deal for India to buy more than $ 3 billion in advanced military equipment, including helicopters.
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India was the third largest military donor in the world after the US and China last year, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said in a report released in April.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
