PM Modi makes a pitch for 'Make in India' in defence - The Indian Express

Citing that India is importing 60 per cent defence equipment, Modi said that a reduction by even 20- 25 per cent would directly create additional 100,000- 120,000 highly skilled jobs in the country. (Source: PIB/Twitter)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday made a strong pitch for make in India in defence and said that the country’s reputation as the largest defence equipment importer is an area where “we” would not like to be number one. Inaugurating the tenth edition of Aero India in Bangalore, the PM called for cutting defence imports so as to create jobs and instead hinted at steps that would boost domestic manufacturing in the country. While noting that imports are unavoidable, Modi called the foreign manufacturers change their approach from being sellers and make India a “strategic partner” in global supply chain who in turn can export to third countries.

“We have the reputation as the largest importer of defence equipment in the world. That may be music to the ears of some of you here. But, this is one area where we would not like to be number one,” Modi said addressing a gathering of foreign and Indian manufacturers.

Citing that India is importing 60 per cent defence equipment, Modi said that a reduction by even 20- 25 per cent would directly create additional 100,000- 120,000 highly skilled jobs in the country. “If we could raise the percentage of domestic procurement from 40 to 70 per cent in the next five years, we would double the output in our defence industry. Imagine the impact in terms of jobs created directly and in the related manufacturing and services sector. Think of the spin off benefits on other sectors in terms of advanced materials and technologies,” he said.

It will also reap rich economic benefits, boost investment, expand manufacturing, support enterprise, raise the technology level and increase economic growth in the country,” he said.

Reiterating the steps his government has taken over the past eight months Modi stressed on the need to create infrastructure, sound business climate, clear investment policies, ease of doing business, stable and predictable tax regime, and easy access to inputs.

Commenting on one of the most crucial areas- offsets that have so far not yielded transfer to critical technology to the country, Modi called for a need to exploit offset as an opportunity to acquire state of the art technology. “Our procurement procedures will ensure simplicity, accountability and speedy decision making. I want our offsets policy not as a means to export low-end products, but to acquire state-of-the art technology and skills in core areas of priority,” he said. I

t will be no longer enough to buy equipment and simply assemble them here. We have been doing this in continued…