60% defence purchases from desi vendors

India’s defence budget is no longer import-heavy as almost 60 per cent of the purchases for the Armed Forces since 2014 have been made from the Indian vendors, Minister of State for Defence Dr Subhash Bhamre disclosed in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

As against the total capital expenditure of Rs 1,75,420 crore incurred on purchase of the defence items since April 1, 2014 up to December 31, 2016, the Indian vendors accounted for purchases of Rs 1,05,030 crore, the minister said in a written reply to Jharkhand’s BJP MP Mahesh Poddar.