Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Systems will extending India’s Maritime Reach around its coast

New Delhi: Futuristic infantry combat vehicles (FICVs) and naval shipborne unmanned aerial systems (NSUAS) were among the 98 items that featured in the department of military affair’s fifth ‘Positive Indigenisation List (PIL)’, released Wednesday by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Navy’s Swavlamban-2023 event.

The total cost of indigenisation (or import substitution value) of these items is an estimated Rs 1.4 lakh crore.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the platforms, weapons systems, sensors and munitions on the list are under development with several Indian companies and are expected to translate into firm orders over the next five to ten years.

It was in 2021 that the government first came out with such a list, with an aim to shore up the development and manufacturing of defence equipment and weapon systems within the country and scale down imports. With 98 items in the current list, the tally of all items to be indigenised under the initiative now stands at 509.

Besides FICVs and NSUAS, the fifth list includes articulated all-terrain vehicles, remotely-piloted airborne vehicles (up to 25 km; with 2 kg payload) for the Army, and ‘medium upgrade low endurance class tactical drones’, among others.

‘Electric light vehicle and next generation low-level light radar’ for the Army, ‘medium range precision kill system’ for the Artillery, ‘automatic chemical agent detection & alarm system’, and ‘armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) protection and countermeasures system’ are some of the other items that found mention in the list.

The list also includes ‘integrated mobile camouflage system, AI-based satellite image analysis, test equipment for guided weapon system (for T-90 tanks), quantum key distribution system for optic fibre-based networks (up to 200 km-range), very high-frequency radar and electro-optic fire control system for naval platforms’.

Further, ‘armour plates (for cabin nose section of Mi-17 helicopters), automated mobile test system (for OSA-AKM missile system), multifunction aviation ground equipment for the IAF, gravity rollers (for Mi-17 V5 helicopters), and flares for P-8I and MiG 29-K aircraft’ were also part of the list released Wednesday.

The Department of Defence Production has also notified four ‘Positive Indigenisation Lists’ consisting of a total of 4,666 items, including line replacement units/sub-systems/spares and components for defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs).

A statement by the MoD said in addition to recognising the “growing capability of domestic industry in defence manufacturing, the Positive Indigenisation Lists have signalled a strong resolve to promote a robust and self-reliant defence industry and cut down imports”.