India adds 405 defence items to import ban list under indigenisation push

Published Aug 19, 03:29 PM UTC

The Indian Ministry of Defence has released its sixth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL), adding 405 new defence items—including subsystems, spares, and raw materials—that are now banned from import and must be sourced domestically. The items, valued at approximately Rs30.7 billion ($320.8 million), cover key platforms such as the Su-30MKI fighter jet, T-72 and T-90 tanks, BMP-II infantry vehicles, and missile systems like Konkurs-M and MRSAM. Sixteen items are designated for the Indian Coast Guard and 389 for Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). The list includes timelines for indigenisation and emphasizes procurement through DPSUs, private industry, and MSMEs. This is part of the government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative. The Ministry reported that over 15,700 defence items have already been indigenised, resulting in import substitution worth about Rs90 billion over five years, and that annual defence manufacturing output reached Rs1.78 trillion ($18.84 billion) in FY2025-26, a 15.6% increase.