Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 24 (ANI): In a major boost to the Government's "Make in India" Initiative, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), under its R&D initiative has entered into an agreement with Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the joint, indigenous development of systems for air traffic management, which were hitherto being imported.

New Delhi Mar 24 PTI The defence ministry on Thursday announced a fresh list of 107 sub-systems and components that will not be allowed to import under a staggered timeline of six years beginning December with a primary aim to promote indigenisationThe list comprises components required in the production of helicopters submarines warships tanks missiles radars and communication systems many of which are currently procured from RussiaIn December last year the defence ministry released a list of 2851 sub-systems and components which will come under import embargo under a specific timeline Some of the components and sub-systems identified for import embargo in the fresh list are used for construction of indigenously developed Advanced Light Helicopter ALH Light Combat Helicopter LCH Light Utility Helicopter LUH electronic warfare system Astra missile T-90 tanks and infantry combat vehiclesThe list released by the Defence Ministry comprised 22 items that will be taken up for indigenisation by the state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd HAL while Bharat Electronics Ltd will indigenise 21 sub-systemsThe Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders will take up indigenisation of six components and subsystems used for construction of ships and submarines Bharat Dynamics Ltd has been entrusted with indigenisation of four items for Astra missiles while BEML Ltd got 12Other defence public sector undertakings DPSU being involved in the process are Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Goa Shipyard Ltd Hindustan Shipyard Ltd Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd and Munitions India Limited MILIn continuous pursuit of self-reliance in defence manufacturing and to minimise imports by DPSUs under Aatmanirbhar Bharat Ministry of Defence has approved another list of 107 strategically important Line Replacement Units LRUssub-systems with a timeline beyond which there will be an embargo on their import the ministry saidIt said the identified items will be indigenised and will only be procured from the Indian industry after the timelines indicated against each of them in the listThe ministry said the indigenisation of these items will be taken up by the DPSUs under the Make categoryThe Make Category aims to achieve self-reliance by involving greater participation in Indian industryThe DPSUs will offer these identified LRUsSub-systems for industry-led design and developmentThis will be a great opportunity for the Indian industry to get integrated in the supply chains of manufacturing major defence platforms the defence ministry said in a statementIt said the indigenous development of these LRUsSub-systems projects will bolster the economy and reduce the import dependence of DPSUs In addition it will help harness the design capabilities of the domestic defence industry and position India as a design leader in these technologies the ministry saidThis list is in continuation to the positive indigenisation list of 2851 sub-systemsassembliessub-assembliescomponents which had been earlier notified by Department of Defence Production Ministry of Defence on December 27 2021 it saidIn August 2020 the ministry announced that India will stop the import of 101 weapons and military platforms like transport aircraft light combat helicopters conventional submarines cruise missiles and sonar systems by 2024A second list putting import restrictions on 108 military weapons and systems such as next-generation corvettes airborne early warning systems tank engines and radars was issued in May last yearIn the last few years the government has taken a series of measures to boost domestic defence manufacturingIn May 2020 the government announced increasing the FDI limit from 49 per cent to 74 per cent under the automatic route in the defence sectorIndia is one of the largest importers of arms globally According to estimates the Indian armed forces are projected to spend around USD 130 billion one billion is equal to 100 crores in capital procurement in the next five yearsThe government now wants to reduce dependence on imported military platforms and has decided to support domestic defence manufacturingThe defence ministry has set a goal of a turnover of USD 25 billion Rs 175 lakh crore in defence manufacturing in the next five years that included an export target of USD 5 billion Rs 35000 crore worth of military hardware PTI MPB ZMN

New Delhi Dec 17 PTI Thirty-one people were killed in accidents involving 15 military helicopters since March 2017 that included the December 8 crash of the Mi-17V5 near Coonoor according to details provided by the government in Lok Sabha on FridayThe 15 choppers that met with accidents included four Advanced Light Helicopter ALH four Cheetah two ALH weapon system integrated versions three Mi-17V5 an Mi-17 and a ChetakMinister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt shared the details of all helicopter accidents in the last five years in all three services He was replying to a questionThe list of crashes provided by him began with the accident involving a Cheetah helicopter of the Indian Air Force on March 15 2017 in which no one was killed or injuredSeven helicopters each from the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force were involved in accidents during the period while the number from the Navy was one according to the detailsThe data showed 31 people were killed and 20 injured in the accidentsThe total number of deceased in the 15 accidents included 14 people killed in the December 8 crash near CoonoorCDS Gen Bipin Rawat his wife Madhulika and 12 armed forces personnel were killed in the crashTo a specific query on the crash of an ALH Rudra WSI in Ranjeet Sagar dam nearPathankot on August 3 Bhatt said there was no restriction on the helicopter flying over the water bodyLt Col A S Bath and Capt Jayant Joshi lost their lives after their helicopter Rudra-WSI crash landed in Ranjeet Sagar Dam on August 3 There is no restriction on the helicopter flying over water the minister saidHowever low flying over water needs specific authorisation A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the crash he addedAsked whether the pilots were not given specialised training required to fly over water Bhatt said the training has been structured to meet the operational requirementsHe said however operations over a large expanse of water are restrictedTo a separate question he said following the Pathankot incident the governmentapproved an integrated smart power fencing called Integrated Perimeter Security System IPSS for 23 airbasesThere was a terror attack on Pathankot airbase on January 2 2016He said Bharat Electronics Ltd signed a contract with Indian Air Force for establishing the IPSS in the airbases across eight statesHe said the pilot site was commissioned in February 2021 adding the BEL has given sub-contract to many several Original Equipment Manufacturers OEM and system integrators to implement the project PTI MPB ZMN

Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 19 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday handed over an advanced electronic warfare system 'Shakti' to the Indian Navy in the Jhansi city of Uttar Pradesh.