The Army is now indigenously-sourcing multiple types of ammunition for tanks, artillery guns, rocket launchers, multiple grenade launchers, multi-barrel rocket launchers, among others

New Delhi: In the next couple of years, the Army wants to completely stop the import of ammunition other than a few types, which would not be commercially viable to be produced in the country.

The Indian Army has reduced its ammunition imports to below 10 per cent of the budget due to Indigenisation in the defence sector under the Make in India policy, defence officials said.

“The Indian Army has a budget of around ₹20,000 crores to buy ammunition of different types. Of this budget, the imports would constitute around 40 per cent in the last few years, but now this has been cut down to below 10 per cent due to indigenous options,” top defence officials informed India Today.

The development of several private sector indigenous industries along with the existing public sector firms has helped in an increase in the production of ammunition within the country, due to which the Army is able to procure ammunition locally.

Officials said that the Army has plans to stop imports of all types in the next couple of years as the domestic industry is increasing its capabilities and capacities significantly.

The Army is now indigenously-sourcing multiple types of ammunition for tanks, artillery guns, rocket launchers, multiple grenade launchers, multi-barrel rocket launchers, among others.

The official said that in the next couple of years, the Army wants to completely stop the import of ammunition other than a few types, which would not be commercially viable to be produced in the country.

(With Agency Inputs)