Over 100 more military items face import ban

PTI

New Delhi, April 7

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday released the third list of more than 101 military systems and weapons that will come under an import ban over the next five years and be developed indigenously, in a fresh impetus to the Indian armament industry.

Impetus for ‘Make in India’

• The list includes naval utility helicopters, lightweight tanks, submarine-launched cruise missiles, naval anti-drone systems, battlefield surveillance radars and artillery gun systems
• The third list also comprises next generation offshore patrol vessels (NGOPV), MF Star radars for ships, medium-range anti-ship missiles

The list includes naval utility helicopters, lightweight tanks, submarine-launched cruise missiles, naval anti-drone systems, battlefield surveillance radars and artillery gun systems.

“Today, it gives me great pleasure to release the third positive indigenisation list of 101 defence equipment and platforms to the nation. The release of this list shows the fast pace of our self-reliance in the defence sector,” he said.

The third list also comprised next generation offshore patrol vessels, MF Star radars for ships, medium-range anti-ship missiles, advanced lightweight torpedos, high endurance autonomous underwater vehicles, medium altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicles and loitering munitions.

The first “positive indigenisation” list of 101 items that included towed artillery guns, short-range surface-to-air missiles, cruise missiles and offshore patrol vessels was issued in August 2020.

In May last year, the government had approved restrictions on the import of an additional 108 military weapons and systems such as next-generation corvettes, airborne early warning systems, tank engines and radars. —

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