Mr. Manohar Parrikar, Honb’le Union Minister of Defence, Government of India addressing media at ACMA's 2nd Aerospace & Defence Summit

By Sangeeta Saxena

New Delhi. 16th May, 2016. In an announcement which raised all eyebrows Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar stated that he hoped India would reach a  target of defence exports to $2 billion in two years.

Speaking at  the Aerospace and Defence Summit held by Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India he informed that the Indian defence exports have almost doubled from around $140- $150 million to reach $330 million. The target of 2 Billion USD is not far fetched, as defence offsets are in the area from where exports as well as expertise can come to the country , he added..

Parrikar said that the ‘Make in India’ project to manufacture fighter aircraft and helicopters in our country would commence in another year. He held a series of meetings with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Indian Air Force (IAF) to discuss on export of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. After the discussions, the IAF has agreed to take 120 LCAs, he said.

, “I am delighted that we have been able to meet one-hundred per cent of defence offset obligations last year, and I am setting a target for achieving US$ 2 billion (Rs 130 billion) worth of exports through offset in the next two years. With world-class quality practices and manufacturing capabilities, the auto components industry in India is well poised to partner with the defence sector to achieve this goal. The government will also create the necessary framework by June 2016, to reform purchasing processes of defence PSUs, which would benefit all suppliers, especially the MSMEs. This will help realise the Government’s vision of Make in India for the defence sector, ” the minister added.

He told that a few modifications that are needed in the production not only to manufacture and deliver to IAF but to also export to other countries will be done. The government is in talks with some countries in Africa for export of the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). As already announced the trial of the LCH is scheduled for July-August this year.

The minister also stated that the Airforce and the Army need to learn lessons on indigenisation and  export from the Navy and on Make-in –India from the automotive industry. He lauded the venturing of the automobile industry into the aerospace industry and felt that the two together shall help the nation to grow in meeting its defence and aerospace needs.