IDD Update
India has announced a long list of items which can be exported to friendly foreign countries keeping itself on a target to reach a figure of $ 5 billion by 2024 in export of weapons, equipment, platforms and systems.
The list called the ‘Export Compendium of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)’ was released by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on February 3 at the Aero-India 2021 in Bangalore.
The list, among other items, includes the fighter jet Tejas, locally made artillery guns the ATAGS and notably the Brahmos missile systems a joint venture between India and Russia.
Also on the list is the surface to air missile system – Akash , beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air Missile – Astra 111, anti tank guided missile – NAG and the towed array sonar for surface ships (PTAS-X) and the advanced light towed array sonar (ALTAS-X)
Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT) Mk IA, the Pinaka Weapon System, Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), Armoured Amphibious Dozer, Armoured Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicle (AERV), Armoured Recovery & Repair Vehicle (ARRV), Bridge Layer Tank (BLT) and Multi-span Mobile Bridging System are also on the list. Read the full list here
India as an exporter
India Exported military hardware worth $ 1.4 billion (almost Rs 10,000 crore) in 2019 and targets a Rs 35,000 crore of military hardware exports by 2025. Sweden-based think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in its report in March 2020 ‘Trends in International Arms Transfers-2019’ listed how India, during the period April 2018 to March 31, 2019, exported 1.4 billion worth of equipment and has 0.2 percent share in global exports. New Delhi is 23rd on the global list of exporters. Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Mauritius are its top three clients while the full list is of 42 countries and largely the supply is made of small parts and components.
The self-reliance focus
The Indian Ministry of Defence has made a major revision of Design, Development & Production of Military Airborne Stores (DDPMAS) document and the same was also released by Singh. The DDPMAS document is followed by the aeronautics fraternity for design, development, production and certification of airborne systems. The new airworthiness framework emphasizes on ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ for self-reliance, empowering the organisations and industries with liberal certification procedures.
The document was released by the certification agency CEMILAC.
Stamp release
Commemorating the golden jubilee of the Aeronautical Research & Development Board (AR&DB), RM released a Stamp and a book on the journey of AR&DB’s contributions to the field of aeronautics. The book highlights the major achievements of AR&DB since its formation. The AR&DB was constituted by DRDO in 1971 to promote research and take India towards self-reliance in aeronautics.
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