Pragati Maidan, New Delhi: The 6th international Exhibition on Land and Naval Defence Systems (DefExpo 2010) reinforced what everyone already knows: India is the place to be for investments in the defence sector. Nothing else could matter and it didn’t.
Defence minister A.K. Antony in his inaugural address nudged the industry towards the way forward by reiterating the amendments in the DPP 2008, announced a few months ago, regarding the ‘Buy & Make (Indian)’ category. Layering the cream on the cake, he said that the MoD would soon come out with the ‘Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap’, which would outline the modernisation vision of the armed forces over the next 15 years, thus ensuring that the global industry is glued-in for a long inning.
Antony said: “We have made our Defence Procurement Procedures transparent and to speed up the defence acquisition process. The recent introduction of ‘Buy & Make (Indian)’ category in Defence Procurement Procedures aims at encouraging the Indian private industry to form joint ventures with the foreign manufacturer.” The Buy and Make (Indian) is an attempt to boost the hitherto inactive Indian private defence industry. The provision includes purchase from an Indian vendor including an Indian company forming a joint venture/establishing a production arrangement with an Original Equipment Manufacturer followed by licensed production/indigenous manufacture in India.