Govt allows private firms into defence

By siliconindia staff writer   |   Monday, 29 December 2003, 20:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: Riding high on impressive results of reforms, the Government made a sharp departure from the past when it allowed Private sector firms to move into assembly of frontline defence equipment under technology transfer. In the first case of its kind, the Government has allowed a Tata company, Nelco to assemble unattended ground sensors in India under technology transfer from Israel, according to defence ministry officials here. And interestingly, under the Technology transfer agreement signed, the investments and raising of infrastructure for assembly of the ground sensors is being done by Nelco without any expenditure to be incurred by the Government. But what is more significant for the Private sector, which has been clamouring for years to enter the country's vast armament manufacture and procurement market, is an announcement made by the Defence Minister George Fernandes in Parliament. Fernandes said that technology for Armaments now being inducted into the infantry like the 84MM rocket launchers, Automatic Grenade launchers, Anti-material rifle and high resolution Binoculars was also being sought. "The technology from the original manufacturers from whom these arms, ammunition and equipment have been procured is proposed to be taken after trial evaluations and if found acceptable by the armed forces," Fernandes said.