The government has made efforts to shift the view of the world from seeing Bharat as a net importer to net exporter over the course of the last few years. With this, the defence sector has seen a quantum jump. The year 2023 was a crucial year for the Ministry of Defence as the defence exports reached almost Rs 3,000 crore and defence productions crossed the figure of Rs one lakh crore for the first time. It also saw increasing ‘global’ demand for LCA-Tejas, light combat helicopters, aircraft carriers amidst others.
To make ‘Atma Nirbharta’ in defence and Armed Forces modernisation a successful reality, efforts were made towards the strengthening of border infrastructure, using Nari Shakti and making sure that the Ex-Servicemen Welfare were the crux of the functioning of the Defence Ministry. According to data from the Defence Ministry, exports reached an all-time high of around Rs 16,000 crore in the Financial Year (FY) 2022-23, almost an additional Rs 3,000 crore than the previous financial year and a rise of over 10 times since 2016-17. Bharat is now exporting to over 85 countries. Bharatiya industry has facilitated its capability of design and development to the world with a capacity of 100 firms exporting defence products at present.
The export includes Dornier-228, 155 mm Advanced Towed Artillery Guns, Brahmos Missiles, Akash Missile System, Radars, Simulators, Mine Protected Vehicles, Armoured Vehicles, PINAKA Rockets & Launchers, Ammunitions, Thermal Imagers, Body Armours, besides Systems, Line Replaceable Units and Parts & Components of Avionics and Small Arms.
The Fifth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) with a list of 98 items was released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the plenary session of ‘Swavlamban 2.0’. The contents of the list are highly complex systems, sensors, weapons and ammunition. All these items are instructed to be procured from indigenous sources as per the guidelines given in Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020. The DMA had further listed four PILs comprising 411 military items. Separately, the Department of Defence Production (DDP) has four PILs consisting of a total of 4,666 items of Line Replacement Units/Sub-systems/Spares and Components for DPSUs. The fourth PIL of 928 items was released by DDP this year.
For the first time, the value of defence production in the Financial Year (FY) 2022-23 crossed the figure of Rs one lakh crore which stood at Rs 95,000 crore in FY 2021-22. Policy reforms that ensure the achievement of the objective of ease of doing business while simultaneously integrating MSMEs and start-ups into the supply chain. Due to these policies, there has been a 200 per cent increase in the counting of defence licences issued to the industries in the last 7-8 years by the government. Additionally, a record of 75 per cent–around Rs one lakh crore–of the defence capital procurement budget was set for the domestic industry in FY 2023-24 which was 68 per cent up in FY 2022-23. The announcement of the same was made by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the 14th Aero India in Bengaluru.
In FY 2023-24, the Ministry of Defence was given a total budget of Rs 5.94 lakh crore, almost 13.18 per cent of the total budget (Rs 45.03 lakh crore). The capital outlay of modernisation and infrastructure development witnessed an increase to Rs 1.63 lakh crore. Moreover, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Helicopter Factory was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Tumkur in Karnataka.
The factory is Bharat’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility and is estimated to initially produce Light Utility Helicopters (LUHs). The LUH, indigenously designed and developed three-ton, single-engine multi purpose utility helicopter with standout features of high manoeuvrability.To start with, the factory will manufacture around 30 helicopters per year, which will then go from 60 to 90 per year in a phased manner.
In November, PM Modi flew a sortie in ‘Tejas’ twin-seater light combat fighter aircraft by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru. The sortie was carried out from the Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment, Bengaluru. During the 30-minute long sortie, the capabilities of Tejas were demonstrated. This marks the first time a Bharatiya Prime Minister flew a fighter aircraft sortie.
HAL gave the first twin-seater Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’ to the IAF with Union Defence Minister of State (MoS) Ajay Bhatt in Bengaluru. The specifications of which are lightweight, all-weather multi-role 4.5-generation aircraft that can support the training requirements of the IAF and augment itself to the role of a fighter during an emergency. It is a fusion of contemporary concepts and technologies such as relaxed static stability, quadruplex fly-by-wire flight control, carefree manoeuvring, advanced glass cockpit, integrated digital avionics systems and advanced composite materials for the airframe. The IAF placed an order for the same 83 LCAs with HAL.
The formal incorporating of the first C-295 MW transport aircraft into the Indian Air Force was also seen in the presence of the Defence Minister in September. The aircraft are being inducted as a result of a collaboration between Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain. Fifteen more aircraft are scheduled to be received by August 2025. The remaining forty will be made at the C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility; the foundation of ‘Made in India’ aircraft is expected in September 2026. This medium-lift tactical aircraft is made keeping in mind the capability of taking off and landing from unprepared landing grounds that will replace the HS-748 Avro aircraft.
The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Rajnath Singh, approved the proposals worth a total of over Rs 3.50 lakh crore to better the operational preparedness of the Armed Forces.118 infrastructure projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) were dedicated to the nation by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh this year. At present, the BRO is working on 20 tunnels, with 10 under construction and 10 in the planning stage. As of now, 3,179m of bridges have been completed while the second phase of the upgrade of the Amarnath Yatra Tracks will be commenced in September.
Captain Shiva Chauhan was the first woman officer to get operationally deployed in Kumar Post, Siachen Glacier which is the world’s highest battlefield in January. In December, Captain Geetika Koul was the first woman medical officer to be deployed at Siachen after completing the induction training at Siachen Battle School. Notably, Captain Fatima Wasim became the first woman medical officer to be deployed on an operational post in the Siachen Glacier.
The government also ordered for the revision of pensions of Armed Forces Pensioners/family pensioners under One Rank One Pension (OROP) effective July 1, 2019, was further issued on January 4, 2023. The Bharatiya Army is known for its high state of preparedness and ensured stability & dominance along all the frontiers, including the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Line of Control (LC).
The Bharatiya Army is known for practising gender neutrality and the induction of women officers (WOs) in the Regiment of Artillery is a work in progress. 10 women officers were commissioned in the Regiment of Artillery during 2023.
The Agnipath scheme with its first two batches (40,000) has completed their training and are under posting to the allotted units. The Indian Air Force marching contingent took part in the Bastille Day Parade 2023 in Paris on July 14 as part of the Tri-Services contingent. The Prime Minister of India, who was the chief guest for the event, was a witness to this.
The Har Ghar Tiranga campaign was part of the Independence Day celebration from August 13 to August 15, 2023. The enthusiastic participation by air warriors and their families was both reflective and strengthening the spirit of nationhood and commitment to taking our nation forward.
