Defence import grew between 2017-21, fell last year: Govt data

India procured military hardware worth Rs 1.93 lakh crore in the last five years, according to details provided by the government in Lok Sabha.

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said the major defence equipment that were imported included helicopters, aircraft radars, rockets, guns, assault rifles, missiles and ammunition.

The data provided by the minister on procurement of military hardware by the defence services pertained to the period from 2017-18 to 2021-22.

Bhatt said the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP 2020) with a focus on 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) and 'Make in India' introduced major policy initiatives for boosting indigenous defence capability and reduction of reliance on imports.

'Further, DAP-2020 provides the highest preference to Buy Indian (IDDM) category of acquisition and 'Buy Global' is only permitted in exceptional situations with specific approval of Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)/the Defence Minister,' he said in the written reply.

According to the details provided by Bhatt, procurement from foreign countries in 2017-18 was Rs 30,677.29 crore, while it went up to Rs 38,115.60 crore in 2018-19 and Rs 40,330.02 crore in 2019-20.

The amount in 2020-21 was Rs 43,916.37 crore and came down to Rs 40,839.53 crore in 2021-22. The total comes to Rs 1,93,878.81 crore.

"During last five financial years (2017-18 to 2021-2022) and current financial year 2022-23 (up to December, 2022), total 264 capital acquisition contracts have been signed for procurement of defence equipment, out of which, 88 contracts accounting for 36.26 per cent of total contract value have been signed with vendors from foreign countries such as the US, Russia, France, Israel, Spain etc," Bhatt said.

To a separate question, Bhatt said the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on 55 'mission mode' projects for a total sanctioned cost of Rs 73,942.82 crore.

He said these are in the areas of nuclear defence technologies, air independent propulsion (AIP), combat suite, torpedo, fighter aircraft, cruise missile, unmanned aerial vehicle, gas turbine engine, assault rifle, warhead, light machine gun, rocket, advanced towed artillery gun system, infantry combat vehicle command, surface-to-air missile, anti-ship missile, anti-airfield weapon and glide bomb.

To another question on whether the government proposes to make public the report of the One Member Judicial Committee (OMJC) constituted to look into the grievances of the defence veterans pertaining to One-Rank-One-Pension (OROP), Bhatt said 'no'.

"Final decision on the recommendations of the One Member Judicial Committee has not yet been taken by the government," he said.