Visakhapatnam: Defence exports from India, which had always been import-dependent, are on the upswing and the Andhra Pradesh-based Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO)-controlled Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) is expected to emerge as the key organisation in this endeavour. NSTL, which had succe-ssfully developed the hea-vyweight torpedo, Varun-astra, and anti-decoy system, Maareech, has identified at least 33 products such as torpedoes and an-ti-decoy systems that cou-ld be exported to friendly countries. It is learnt that naval systems worth Rs 1,000 crore will be expor-ted. India exported arou-nd '2,972 crore worth of defence products from 2013 to June 2016 — Mau-ritius, Sri Lanka, Myan-mar and Russia being the main customers.
“There are requests fr-om Myanmar and Vietnam for our naval systems. These are at an advanced stage of negotiations. Th-ese exports will also boost the concept of ‘Make in India’. Once these deals are finalised and we get the go-ahead from the Mi-nistry of Defence (MoD), export variant torpedoes and decoy systems can be developed,” said NSTL director C.D. Malleshwar.
To encourage export, Defence Public Sector Units (DPSUs) have been permitted to export up to 10 per cent of their annual production. They can ramp up their capacity in the coming years. “The government has taken several measures to promote the export of de-fence equipment. A defence export strategy has been formulated and pla-ced in the public domain. This provides for the creation of an export promotion body, engaging Indi-an missions and emba-ssies abroad in export promotion and export fin-ancing through a line of credit etc, better use of offset policy, export of indigenously developed defence systems and stre-amlining of the export regulation process. The list of military stores for the purpose of issuing No Objection Certificates (NOC) for export has been notified by the government to remove ambiguity and to make the process transparent.
The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the issue of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for export of military stores has been simplified and put in the public domain,” defence minister Manohar Parrikar had said in the Lok Sabha recently in response to a question. But experts point out that India has a long way to go. “The intention is good and those responsible for executing it should be able to get their act together in the shortest possible time as the next three years are not enough to plan, execute and get orders. After the elections, the new government may have different priorities. While there is huge publicity of intent to export weapons, the people and systems have not changed. India has tried to export non-lethal military equipment to regional countries with liberal credit,” said Joseph P. Chacko, defence analyst and author of the book, Foxtrot to Arihant — The Story of Indian Navy’s Submarine Arm.
