Aatmanirbhar Thrust: Defence Canteens To Ban All ‘Directly Imported’ Finished Goods

In a major push imbued by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's clarion call for the building of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the Canteen Stores Department (CSD) which operates canteen facilities for the defence forces is set to ban all 'directly imported' items, reports Times of India.

The move will lead to the 'directly imported' finished goods no more being sold in the vast network of canteens operated by the CSD. As per the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, of the total 5,500 items sold by the CSD, around 420 are directly imported.

It should be noted that a bulk of these directly imported finished goods are shipped to India from China. These even include articles like toilet brushes, electric kettles, sandwich toasters, laptops and ladies' handbags.

The companies which sell premium products such as imported liquor, high-end smartphones and consumer durables are likely to be the hardest hit by the decision.

The CSD is one of the largest retail chains operating in the country, catering to over 12 million customers.

“Out of 10 bottles sold at army canteens, four are usually for people who don’t work in the armed forces such as friends and family. Companies that have a high exposure of imported items at army canteens will be the most affected,” said a senior industry executive.