Atmanirbhar Bharat: Fifth Positive Indigenisation List Released By Rajnath Singh; Aims To Enhance Sourcing Of Weapons From Indian Manufacturers

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, yesterday (on 4th October), released the fifth positive indigenisation list, during the first day of the Indian Navy's 'Swavlamban 2.0' seminar being held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

The list includes 98 items slated for indigenisation within the next five to ten years.

According to The Print, the estimated cost of indigenisation, or import substitution value, for these items is approximately Rs 1.4 lakh crore.

The list has been compiled by the Department of Military Affairs (DMA), led by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Lt General Anil Chauhan, and includes equipment such as next-generation low-level light radar, various types of unmanned aerial systems, including shipborne naval unmanned aerial systems (NSUAS), and future infantry combat vehicles (FICV).

This marks the fifth list released by the defence ministry, following the previous four lists released in December 2021, March 2022, August 2022, and May 2023.

These four positive indigenisation lists, comprises a total of 4,666 items, including line replacement units, sub-systems, spares, and components for defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs).

The fifth list encompasses several critical systems, such as an electric light vehicle for the army, a medium-range precision kill system for the Artillery, an automatic chemical agent detection & alarm system, and an armored fighting vehicle (AFV) protection and countermeasures system.

The list also includes an integrated mobile camouflage system, AI-based satellite image analysis, test equipment for guided weapon systems (for T-90 tanks), a quantum key distribution system for optic fiber-based networks (with a range of up to 200 km), a very high-frequency radar, and an electro-optic fire control system for naval platforms.

Furthermore, it incorporates armor plates (for the cabin nose section of Mi-17 helicopters), an automated mobile test system (for the OSA-AKM missile system), multifunction aviation ground equipment for the Indian Air Force, gravity rollers (for Mi-17 V5 helicopters), and flares for P-8I and MiG 29-K aircraft.

According to the statement released by the Defence Ministry, the equipments listed in the fifth list are under development and will take another five to ten years for procurement.

The Defence Ministry's statement reads, "the items in the list will provide ample visibility and opportunity to the domestic industry to understand the trend and futuristic needs of the Armed Forces and create requisite R&D and manufacturing capacity within the country."

This list is a part of the government of India policy to promote indigenisation and Atmanirbharta in defence (self-reliant India).

It will help increase the sourcing of components, sub-systems of defence equipments from Indian vendors.

It will also help India to reduce dependency of foreign weapons suppliers in the case of a war. The government has also set a target to export more than $5 billion worth of weapons to foreign countries by 2025.