India: The sudden change in defense strategy of one of the world's largest importers was a sign of the Narendra Modi government's gradual ban on imports of weapons and weapon platforms.

In a bid to increase the independence of the industrial base, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday approved a list of 780 items that will be banned from import in the coming years.

Two such lists, which include imports of critical weapons such as artillery guns, sonar systems, transport aircraft, radars, conventional diesel-electric submarines, communication satellites and shipborne cruise missiles, were already approved by the government in December 2021 and March 2022.

The ministry continued, "The domestic development of these LRUs/sub-systems/components will strengthen the economy and reduce the dependence of public sector defense units on imports."

The three lists include defense equipment worth $100 billion or more. These goods will be produced in India, with regional businesses acting as prime contractors. Due to Indian firms' limited access to state-of-the-art technology, foreign businesses can participate in tenders in collaboration with local contractors.

PM Narendra Modi had said in February this year that the import process has been designed in such a way that by the time defense products reach the Indian armed forces, many of them will have their usefulness as a justification to encourage domestic manufacturing. had ended. would have passed.

In 2022-2023, India allocated 68 percent of its total capital procurement budget to domestic industry.

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