SOURCE: AFI
In a bid to strengthen national security and enhance self-reliance in defense manufacturing, India’s Ministry of Defence is set to intensify scrutiny of Chinese-origin components in military equipment and conduct a comprehensive audit of indigenous content in defense platforms. According to sources, the ministry will engage an external consultant to review procurement processes, assess supply chain vulnerabilities, and analyze the cost implications of technology transfers by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). This move underscores India’s commitment to transparency, expedited acquisitions, and achieving strategic autonomy in defense production.
The decision to scrutinize Chinese content in military equipment comes amid growing concerns over supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly in light of geopolitical tensions with China and the global reliance on Chinese-manufactured components. From electronics to critical subsystems, Chinese-origin parts have been identified in various defense platforms worldwide, raising security risks due to potential backdoors, supply disruptions, or dependencies.
For India, which faces persistent border tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), reducing reliance on Chinese components is a strategic imperative.The Ministry of Defence aims to map the supply chains of critical platforms, including fighter jets, submarines, and missile systems, to identify and eliminate Chinese content. This audit will extend to both imported equipment and indigenously developed systems, ensuring that platforms like the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, Arjun tanks, and BrahMos missiles are free from foreign vulnerabilities. The move aligns with India’s broader push for Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India), which emphasizes indigenous production and secure supply chains.
A key focus of the initiative is to verify the indigenous content in defense platforms, a metric that has been central to India’s self-reliance goals. While programs like the Tejas and the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) have been touted as indigenous successes, questions remain about the extent of local components versus imported subsystems. The ministry’s audit will assess the true level of indigenization, ensuring that claims of “Made in India” align with reality.
This audit will also evaluate the cost-effectiveness of indigenous components, addressing concerns about inefficiencies in domestic production. By engaging an external consultant, the ministry aims to bring objectivity to the process, identifying gaps in the supply chain and recommending measures to boost local manufacturing capabilities. This is particularly critical as India seeks to scale up production of advanced platforms like the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and nuclear-powered submarines.
The appointment of an external consultant will also focus on overhauling the defense procurement process, which has often been criticized for delays and bureaucratic hurdles. The consultant will review existing procedures to identify bottlenecks, expedite urgent acquisitions, and ensure that critical equipment reaches the armed forces on time. This is particularly significant for programs like the Tejas Mk-1A, which has faced delays due to supply chain issues, such as the late delivery of GE F404 engines from the United States.
Additionally, the consultant will analyze the cost impact of DRDO’s technology transfers to private and public sector firms. While DRDO has played a pivotal role in developing indigenous technologies, concerns have been raised about the high costs and inefficiencies associated with some projects. The audit will assess whether these transfers deliver value for money and contribute to cost-competitive production, ensuring that India’s defense budget is utilized effectively.
NOTE: AFI is a proud outsourced content creator partner of IDRW.ORG. All content created by AFI is the sole property of AFI and is protected by copyright. AFI takes copyright infringement seriously and will pursue all legal options available to protect its content.