Department of Defence Production issues authorisation for export of Munitions List items covered in Category 6 of Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET). The major defence equipment exported during last 05 years include Weapon Simulators, Tear Gas Launcher, Torpedo Loading Mechanism, Alarm Monitoring & Control, Night Vision Monocular & Binocular, Light Weight Torpedo & Fire Control Systems, Armoured Protection Vehicle, Weapons Locating Radar, HF Radio, Coastal Surveillance Radar etc. At present, the exports are being made to more than 80 countries all over the world. Names of the countries cannot be divulged due to strategic reasons. The details of export value during the last five years is as under:

                                                                                             (Rs in crores)

 

Government has taken various steps to improve Indian defence products and make them competitive globally as follows:

 

·               The Government has given focus on indigenisation of various defence items to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’.  The indigenised items made from local resources become globally cost competitive and it also facilitates integration of MSMEs in global supply chain.
 

·               The new technologies developed by DRDO are transferred to the industries regularly without any fees.  Industries have been provided free excess to DRDO patents.

 

·               DRDO conducts Niche Technology Demonstrations by engaging industries. This provides a dual benefit by assisting industries with user inputs for product improvement and for self-testing and evaluation of their products in field conditions.

 

·               Test facilities of MoD establishment have been opened up to the industries for testing.

 

·               To foster innovation and technology development in Defence by engaging Industries including MSMEs, start-ups, Individual Innovators, R&D institutes and Academia, iDEX (innovation for defence excellence) was launched. iDEX provides grants/funding and other support to carry out innovations/R&D. So far, 287 problems have been opened, 345 start-ups have been engaged, 208 contracts have been signed.

 

·               Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme has been launched to encourage participation of public/private industries especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)/start-ups and to promote Self- Reliance in Defence Technology by design and development of technologies, indigenisation of imported systems/components and new systems. This year, TDF grant is enhanced to up to Rs 50 crore per project from Rs 10 crore.

 

This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt in a written reply to Shri Tiruchi Siva in Rajya Sabha today.

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ABB/Savvy/Nirmit

 

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