Question : SUPER SENSITIVE DEFENCE EQUIPMENT

(a) whether the super sensitive defence equipment are being imported by the Government;

(b) if so, whether any steps are being taken to manufacture such equipment in the country;

(c) whether any committee of experts has been constituted for carrying out research in regard to state-of-the-art equipment/safety armours/rifles for the defence forces and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) whether any steps have been taken to promote research in the field of rifles/ armours and if not, the reasons therefor;

(e) whether any missile shield system is being developed by adopting the American model; and

(f) if so, the steps taken in this regard and if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (SHRI A.K. ANTONY)

(a)&(b): Madam, defence equipments are being imported as per the operational requirements of the Armed Forces. Several steps are being taken by the Government to promote manufacture of defence equipment within the country. In all procurement cases, the feasibility of indigenous development is explored before buying the equipment from the global market. Transfer of technology is also sought to enable the manufacture of the equipment indigenously. Defence Production Policy has been announced in January, 2011 to encourage indigenous manufacture of defence equipment.‘Buy and Make (Indian)’ and ‘Make’ categories have also been introduced in the Defence Procurement Procedure.

(c)&(d): The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is engaged in design & development of strategic, complex and security sensitive systems for our Armed Forces. It has developed a number of systems with state-of-the-art technology.These include missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, combat aircraft, propellants & explosives, detonators, communication systems, etc. A number of DRDO developed systems have been productionised and inducted into the Armed forces.

(e) No, Madam.

(f) DRDO is developing a missile defence shield for the country.