NEW DELHI: The commissioning of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) as the INS Vikrant on Friday was an important milestone in India’s push to the modernisation of the Indian Military with indigenous armaments and other systems. The approval for indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (Mark II) last Wednesday and steps like a phased ban on imports of foreign manufactured military goods and more have shown that the the government is focused on speedy indigenisation of hardware for Indian armed forces.
The Defence Acquisition Council, which is the highest decision-making body of the government, has approved Rs 10,000 crores for the manufacturing of more advanced and potent Light Combat Aircraft Mk II. “It will have a powerful engine, better avionics and electronics and capacity to carry a bigger payload,” a defence source said. Its prototype is expected to be out in two years with 2028 set as the timeline for production to begin.
Another way the government decided to push for indigenous production and minimising defence imports by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) was by making public the third Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) of 780 strategically important Line Replacement Units (LRUs)/Sub-systems/Components with a timeline beyond which they will only be procured from the domestic industry. The Defence Minister approved the same on August 28.
India-France to develop helicopter engine
The production of engines has been the sore point in India’s Military Industrial production story. Talks have been going on to produce jet engines jointly with a foreign manufacturer. In an important step, Indian DPSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and France’s Safran Helicopter Engines in July inked an agreement for a new joint venture to develop helicopter engines. “The new aero-engine company in India will be dedicated to the development, production, sales and support of helicopter engines, and one of its main objectives will be to meet the requirements of HAL and defence ministry’s future helicopters,” a statement from HAL said.