Indian Army signs deal to boost ‘spare-part indigenisation'

The Indian Army signed an agreement with a local defence industry organisation on 21 January to support the “indigenisation of spare parts”, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in New Delhi has announced.

The MoD said the memorandum of understanding (MOU) – between the army and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) – will provide “impetus to indigenisation … and achieve strategic independence by reducing dependence on foreign-origin equipment”.

The MoD did not elaborate on the terms of the MOU but indicated that the agreement would support closer co-operation between the Indian Army and the SIDM and its membership. The SIDM is a part of the Confederation of Indian Industry, a national body.

“With the signing of MoU with SIDM, the Indian Army has reiterated its resolve towards achieving self-reliance by supporting and hand-holding indigenous defence industry,” said the MoD.

It added that the Indian Army has recently undergone some restructuring with the aim to better support engagement with industry, and to aid the local provision of spare parts and components.

The MoD said the Indian Army has “reorganised itself by aligning both the revenue and capital routes of procurement” under the deputy chief of army staff for capability development and sustainment. The army has also established a design bureau that has direct links to local companies, it said.

“These changes,” said the MoD, “have resulted in a collaborative engagement between the technology provider, the equipment manufacturer, and the user.”

The MoD said such co-operation is supporting efforts to improve the supply of spare parts to the Indian Army, which due to increased operational tempo in recent years, requires “continuing and concerted capability building… This can be done by equipping the army with indigenously built equipment”.