Girja Shankar Kaura
The Fourth Positive Indigenization List of 101 items was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he inaugurated the DefExpo 2022 at Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat today.
Modi unveiled HTT-40 – the indigenous trainer aircraft designed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. During the programme, the Prime Minister also launched Mission DefSpace and laid the foundation stone of Deesa airfield in Gujarat.
Welcoming delegates to an event of the capable and Aatmanirbhar Bharat both as a Prime Minister and as a son of Gujarat, he said that the DefExpo paints a picture of New India and its capabilities whose resolve is being forged at the time of Amrit Kaal. He further added that it is an amalgamation of the country’s development as well as states’ cooperation.
Modi also announced the ‘Fourth Positive Indigenization List’ of 101 items. All the items included in the lists will be procured from indigenous sources as per provisions given in Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 and it provides continuous impetus towards self-reliance in defence.
The MoD had earlier promulgated ‘First, Second and Third Positive Indigenization Lists’, comprising 310 items on August 21, 2020, May 31, 2021, and April 07, 2022, respectively. The fourth list has been prepared by MoD after several rounds of consultations with all stakeholders, including the industry. It lays special focus on equipment/systems, which are being developed and likely to translate into firm orders in the next five to ten years.
Like the first three lists, import substitution of ammunition which is a recurring requirement has been given special focus. This fourth list recognises the growing capacity and capabilities of the Indian defence industry and is likely to stimulate the potential of domestic research & development by attracting fresh investment into technology and manufacturing capabilities.
The items listed in the fourth list will provide ample visibility and opportunity to the domestic defence industry for understanding the trend and futuristic needs of the Armed Forces and create requisite R&D and manufacturing capacity within the country.
The MoD will facilitate a conducive environment and render all possible support to the industry to ensure that the timelines mentioned in the ‘Fourth Positive Indigenisation List’ are met, thereby achieving self-reliance in defence and developing the capabilities for exports within the country in a time-bound manner. The list has been hosted on the MoD website (www.mod.gov.in) for information of all stakeholders.
The Expo has more than 1300 exhibitors which include the India Defence Industry, some joint ventures associated with Indian Defence Industry, MSMEs and more than 100 start-ups. The Prime Minister remarked that it provides a glimpse of the capability and possibility of India in one single frame. He further informed that more than 400 MoUs are being signed for the first time ever.
The Indian Navy has inducted state-of-the-art aircraft carriers like the INS-Vikrant into its fleet. This engineering giant and colossal masterpiece has been made by Cochin Shipyard Limited with indigenous technology.
