Defence ministry announces list of 346 strategically important items to be ‘Made In India’

Ahead of the Annual Budget for FY25, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced the fifth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) for Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). This comprehensive list encompasses 346 strategically important items, including line replacement units, systems, sub-systems, assemblies, sub-assemblies, spares, components, and raw materials. The import substitution value of these items is estimated to be Rs 1,048 crore.

These indigenised items will now exclusively be sourced from Indian industries, in line with the specified timelines for indigenisation as outlined in the list, which is accessible on the Srijan portal (https://srijandefence.gov.in).

The Srijan portal, launched by the defence ministry in 2020, serves as a platform where DPSUs and Service Headquarters (SHQs) collaborate with industries, including MSMEs and start-ups, to promote the indigenisation of defence items. This initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) and is spearheaded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to promote self-reliance in defence production.

The DPSUs will undertake the indigenisation of items listed in the fifth PIL through various approaches, including the ‘Make’ procedure and in-house development in partnership with industry stakeholders, including MSMEs. This initiative is expected to stimulate economic growth, boost investment in defence, and reduce reliance on imports. Moreover, it aims to strengthen the design capabilities of India’s domestic defence industry by involving academia and research institutions.

Since its inception, over 36,000 defence items have been offered to the industry for indigenisation by DPSUs and SHQs, with more than 12,300 items successfully indigenised over the past three years alone. This proactive approach has resulted in DPSUs placing orders worth Rs 7,572 crore on domestic vendors, further bolstering the ecosystem for indigenous defence production in India.