Govt committed to achieve defence production target of US$ 22 billion by 2025: Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister

• 68 per cent of Defence budget earmarked for indigenization procurement & 25 per cent of it for private sector
• World is now waiting for the products made in India; Foreign OEMs to increase investment in Indian defence production sector

NEW DELHI, December 17. Mr Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister, Govt of India today emphasized that the government is working and committed to increase the defense production target from current US$ 12 billion to US$ 22 billion by 2025. “You (industry) can imagine, with this kind of growth, how many opportunities will be available for the Indian industry,” he added.

Addressing the FICCI’s 95th Annual Convention & AGM, Defence Minister said that in order to increase the participation of our domestic industry, the government has reserved a certain portion of defense capital acquisition for domestic procurement. “Out of the total defence capital budget outlay, 68 per cent of it is reserved for indigenous procurement by domestic industry and 25 per cent of it is reserved for the private sector. The results of these have now started appearing and more measures will be announced soon,” he emphasized.

The government, he said, is also working to provide market access to the domestic industry to make them Aatmanirbhar. Defence Minister also stated that in the last few years there has been a continuous increase in defence exports. The government has already taken a series of steps including simplifying the FDI norms which has been increased to 74 per cent via automatic route and 100 per cent via government route, added Defence Minister.

Mr Singh also urged the domestic industry and foreign OEMs to invest in Indian defence sector by focusing on R&D, bringing in newer technologies and capital. He added that India is making defence products not just for the domestic market but also to meet the global requirements. “The world is waiting for the products made in India,” he stated.

Defence Minister also emphasized that technology is a critical component in strengthening the country’s economy. In the last 8 years, India has realized its potential and continues to march towards a new goal and the world today is looking at India for support, he reiterated.

He stated that in the last 9 years, India has moved from the group of ‘fragile 5’ economies to ‘fabulous 5 world economies’ and registered itself as one of the fastest growing economies.

Mr Sanjiv Mehta, President, FICCI said thanked the government for ushering in reforms in the process of defence acquisition and facilitating ease of doing business through the revision of the DPP 2016 as DAP 2020. He further assured Industry’s unstinted support for achieving the goal of ‘Aatmanirbhar Raksha Utpadhan’.

Mr Subhrakant Panda, President-Elect, FICCI said that the government’s focus on ‘Make In India’ and ‘Make for the World’ is an impressive strategic move towards shedding its historical status of one the largest importer of defence equipment to a net exporter.