The Indian Navy's demand for Naval Utility Helicopters will be the first project to be undertaken as a part of the strategic partnership model.
The Ministry of Defence approved guidelines for the Strategic Partnership model aimed at giving a push to indigenous defence manufacturing, over a year after the policy was unveiled in May, 2017.
"This will give a major fillip towards encouraging self-reliance and aligning the defence sector with the Make in India initiative of the Government," a defence ministry statement said.
The Indian Navy's demand for Naval Utility Helicopters will be the first project to be undertaken as a part of the strategic partnership model.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took the decision on Monday, days after a parliamentary panel said that nothing concrete has been done to implement the strategic partnership model.
The policy would make the country self-reliant by reducing defence exports.
The DAC also accorded approval for the acquisition of eight fast patrol vessels (FPVs) for the Indian Coast Guard under category (what category? please clarify) at an approximate cost of Rs 800 crore. These vessels will be indigenously designed and manufactured and would strengthen maritime security by undertaking day and night patrolling of the seas, including interception of vessels and personnel engaged in anti-sabotage.
By making the strategic partnership model, the government aims at reducing defence imports that currently account for 60 per cent of military acquisitions.
A parliamentary report tabled last week in parliament highlighted the slow progress of the strategic partnership model and observed that dependence on foreign suppliers particularly for military hardware, not only results in huge expenditure on import of defence equipment but makes the security of the country vulnerable as during emergency situations a supplier may not provide the required weapons or spare parts.
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