India aims to become exporter of military equipment: MoS defence

Panaji: India, one of the world’s largest importers of weapons, wants to become a net exporter of military equipment, said minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth on Saturday. He said the defence ministry wants to end dependence on foreign suppliers and wants local defence firms to scale up and get into exports.
“Our aim, in the coming years, is not to import weapons but to export them,” Seth said. “Earlier we were known for being importers...but today, this country is not a country that begs, it is a country that looks another country in the eye and talks,” Seth said.
He was speaking at the launch of the last of four follow-on Triput-class stealth frigates contracted from Russia and the second one under construction at Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL).
He said, “We supply military equipment to 100 countries. Our goal is to reach Rs 50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029.” As for the frigates, they are part of the inter-governmental agreement inked in Goa in Oct 2016 on the sidelines of the Brics summit.
Though the frigates are built using Russian technology and design, they are powered by gas turbine engines from Zorya-Mashproekt of Ukraine. The frigates, officially called the Project 1135.6, have 56% indigenous equipment. Local construction of the frigates has infused Rs 7,000 crore into the economy and involved 400-450 MSMEs.
“I have been informed that the steel used in this warship has been indigenously made. It has indigenous weapons, weapon systems, combat suite, steering gears, fin stabilisers, and communication equipment,” Seth said. “It is a proud moment for the nation that the auxiliary control system, Brahmos missile systems, torpedoes, sonar systems, and rocket launchers are made in India.”
GSL chairman and MD Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay said the shipyard aims to attain Navratna PSU status by 2027-28 and hopes to become a Schedule A shipyard by 2025-26, thus joining the ranks of Cochin Shipyard Ltd, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, and Hindustan Shipyard Ltd.
“With the successful launch of both frigates of this project, GSL’s capability has been established in constructing weapon-intensive projects,” Upadhyay said. GSL will deliver the first frigate to the Navy in 2026 and the second six months later.