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| Transparent Defence policies to boost private participation: Antony | | | Berlin | May 27
Seeking active role for private sector in its multi-billion dollar defence industry, India has said that it has put in place "transparent" procurement policies to encourage joint development and production activities with domestic and international companies.
"The Indian defence industry, which has been largely in the state sector, has developed broad-based capabilities. We have recently put in place policies and initiatives to encourage private sector participation," Defence Minister Antony said at a reception hosted in his honour last night on the eve of inauguration of Berlin Air Show.
Antony is here to attend the prestigious Air Show, where India has been chosen as the partner country, a first in the 99-year-old history of the event.
The defence sector in India is now open up to 100 per cent for Indian private sector participation, while foreign direct investment is permissible up to 26 per cent.
The procurement policies were streamlined and "transparent procurement policies have been put in place including the requirement of an offset of 30 per cent for certain contracts," the Minister said.
"These policies are designed not only to further develop our capabilities in production of land, air and naval defence equipment, but also to encourage co-development and co-production with international manufacturers," Antony said at the function which was attended among others by his German counterpart Franz Josef Jung and IAF chief F H Major.
The, Minister, drew attention the "enormous potential" in the sector as India "seeks to encourage active indigenisation in defence production as well as greater investment in research and development."
Antony said the Defence Offset Facilitation Agency set up in September last year was to act as a bridge between the Indian defence industry and potential vendors, both foreign and Indian, to help private industry to obtain industrial licenses for the manufacture of defence products.
"Encouraged by these policies, our companies are entering into high-tech partnerships with defence majors located abroad to bid for advanced systems and projects in India. At the same time there is keen interest to engage India as a partner in design, production and development of advanced weapon systems."
The minister highlighted that at the political and security level, there was a growing recognition of India's key role as a responsible power and a factor of stability in a region faced with security challenges emanating from different sources.
"We believe India's continued economic growth will provide new opportunities for its neighbours to tap into and benefit from this economic dynamism.
"At the same time, India's open democracy exerts a stabilising and moderating influence," Antony said.
The Minister also mentioned the landmark programme "Chandrayan" -- mission to moon -- at the function and said India was at the frontiers of the space technologies having the capability to manufacture sophisticated satellites and space launch vehicles.
"Our civilian space programme is a key element in expanding communications, resource management, disaster warning and in bringing better education and health facilities to our remote and rural areas through distance education and telemedicine," he said.
India is providing satellite data and space launch services to several international partners. "We are now getting ready to launch our Moon Mission, named Chandrayan, which will also carry several international experiments, including from the EU," Antony said.
The composite India Pavilion covering 1200 sq meters witnesses the participation of five Defence Public Sector Undertakings, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and some leading private defence industries.
The SARANG team of Indian Air Force will also display aerobatics with helicopters while The Air Warriors Symphony Orchestra performed at the show. |
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