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NEW DELHI — India will source nearly all of $11.6 billion worth of recently approved military hardware from domestic manufacturers, underscoring New Delhi’s push to reduce dependence on foreign arms suppliers as it modernizes its armed forces.
The Defense Acquisition Council headed by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh granted “in principle” approval, which is essentially a green light to begin the procurement process.
“Approximately 98% of procurements will be made from the Indian Industry,” a Defense Ministry statement said on Monday.
The ambitious goal to source nearly all of the latest round of military acquisitions domestically comes amid a significant shift in government policy. After years of relying heavily on state-owned firms for defense production, India, the world’s fifth largest military spender, has encouraged a larger role for the private sector as part of efforts to build a more dynamic military industrial base.
