According to a report by a leading newspaper daily, none of the major ‘Make in India’ projects in the defence has taken-off in the last six years.
These projects are collectively worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore, an dare still waiting to see the daylight. Leaving the older ones behind, the very recent project of manufacturing 7,50,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles in a joint venture with Russia at the Korwa ordnance factory in UP is likely to be launched first.
In October 2017, the same leading daily had done published a report on what’s holding back India from becoming self-sufficient and some of the factors were long-winded procedures, commercial and technical wranglings, coupled with lack of requisite political push and follow-throughs.
Sadly, after two years, the ‘Make in India’ dream seems to be stagnant due to the same reasons.
The Defence Ministry has been trying to cover up for the stagnation of the Make in India initiative. It keeps saying that needed measure are underway fro an absolute indigenous defence production.
However, the Indian armed forces have been demanding for lighter utility choppers for the last 15 years and they are still hoping for the government to deliver it.
