India Defence Exports Cross Rs 7,000 Crore Till November, Pending Major Deals to Take Figures Higher

India has achieved defence exports over Rs 7,000 crore till November 1 so far, and is looking at reaching a target upwards of Rs 15,000 crore by the end of this fiscal, showed official data accessed by News18.

According to the data, India exported defence items worth Rs 7,034.84 crore till November 1 this year. Sources said some major defence deals were expected to be concluded towards the end of this year and early 2023, taking export figures higher.

In 2021-2022, India’s defence exports were worth Rs 12,814.54 crore. The figure marks a significant growth from 2014-15 when the figures were just Rs 1,940.64 crore. India’s private sector has a majority share in the overall defence exports. The country has set a target of annual defence exports worth Rs 35,000 crore by 2025.

According to a report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India is ranked 23 in a list of the 25 largest exporters of major arms and has had a 0.2 per cent share of the global arms exports between 2017 and 2021 – up from 0.1 per cent in the years before that.

Significant export orders

India has inked significant defence export deals this year, including the big-ticket $375-million contract with the Philippines for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile; a contract to export the advanced version of advanced light helicopter (ALH Mark III) to Mauritius; and an order of $155 million for artillery guns bagged by private defence firm Kalyani Strategic Systems from an unspecified country.

India is pitching its indigenously-made light combat aircraft Tejas to African and Southeast Asian markets for export.

According to the defence ministry, India exports personal protective equipment, offshore patrol vessels, ALH helicopter, SU avionics, Bharati Radio, coastal surveillance systems, Kavach MoD II Launcher and FCS, spares for radar, electronic system and light engineering mechanical parts, among others.

These go to about 84 countries, including Italy, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Russia, France, Nepal, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Israel, Egypt, UAE, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Poland, Spain and Chile.

Steps taken to streamline exports

Several policy interventions by the government in the last few years have been aimed at encouraging defence exports, not only for bringing in revenue but also for strengthening diplomatic ties with other friendly foreign countries.

These included the new export promotion cell under the defence ministry to coordinate export-related activities; notification of a scheme to provide financial support to India’s defence attaches for them to promote exports; increasing validity of an export authorisation; and a scheme for promotion of defence exports, including providing manufacturers access to testing infrastructure of defence ministry for validation of their products.

The MoD has also prepared a defence production and export promotion policy, which is currently awaiting cabinet approval.

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