Lok Sabha Question No. 228 (STARRED), answered on 2018-01-03
Subject: Diplomacy to Boost Defence Indigenisation
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: DUSHYANT SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.228 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.01.2018

## DIPLOMACY TO BOOST DEFENCE INDIGENISATION

- *228.   SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is planning to take any specific steps using  diplomacy  as  a  tool  to  boost  opportunities  for  India's defence indigenisation;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether  any  step  is  being  taken  by  the  Government  to strengthen partnerships such as India-Australia-Japan dialogue  and  India-US-Japan  initiative  aimed  at  enhancing security  concerns  of  India  with  countries  that  share  similar concerns; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER THE MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRIMATI SUSHMA SWARAJ)

- (a) to (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## PRIORITY-VIII

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS  (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 228 REGARDING 'DIPLOMACY TO BOOST DEFENCE INDIGENISATION' FOR ANSWER ON 03.01.2018

Government  is  actively  engaged  in  a  range  of  bilateral  defence  cooperation initiatives towards the objective of defence indigenisation. To this effect, Government has entered into fresh tie-ups as well as intensified ongoing cooperation with several international  partners.  The  cooperation  is  envisaged  in  terms  of,  inter  alia,  joint manufacture, co-production and co-development of defence items, including transfer of technology with a special emphasis on the 'Make in India' initiative.

Diplomatic  efforts  have  also  focused  on  supporting  the  recently  introduced Strategic Partnership model that seeks to enhance participation of private Indian firms in defence manufacturing. The model envisages establishment of long-term strategic partnerships  with  Indian  entities  through  a  transparent  and  competitive  process, wherein they would tie up with global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to seek technology transfers to set up domestic industrial ecosystem and infrastructure, integration  with  global  supply  chains  and  assistance  in  training  skilled  human resources.

India's  membership  to  the  multilateral  export  control  regimes,  such  as, Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) and Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is expected to facilitate high technology tie-ups with Indian industry and ease access to high-tech items for India's defence programmes.

With  regard  to  strengthening  of  partnerships,  Government  engages  with various  countries  through  bilateral,  multilateral  and  plurilateral  platforms  on  issues that advance our interests and promote our viewpoint. In its engagements with partner countries  under  various  plurilateral  platforms,  Government  has  discussed  exploring practical  steps  to  enhance  cooperation  on  issues  of  common  interest  including international security.

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