To contest an impression that no major Make in India programme for Defence production has taken off in the last five years, the Ministry of Defence has released a shortlist of 180 orders and contracts worth 1,96,000 Crore ($27.5 B) awarded to Indian industry since 2014.

Top of the list is the 45,000 Crore contract signed in February 2015 with Mazagon Dockyards Limited and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers for building 7 new generation stealth frigates under Project 17A, dubbed the Nilgiri class, for the Indian Navy.

Top of the list is the 45,000 Crore contract signed in February 2015 with Mazagon Dockyards Limited and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers for building 7 new generation stealth frigates under Project 17A, dubbed the Nilgiri class, for the Indian Navy. Two more frigates of the Grigorivich will be built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) under a 14,100 Crore Project P1135.6 contract signed in October 2018

Two more frigates of the Grigorivich class will be built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) under a 14,100 Cror Project P1135.6 contract signed in October 2018.

Under an indent placed in November 2019, the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) has been tasked to supply 464 T-90S/SK tanks worth 19,100 crore, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Defence.

Orders for 41 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and 32 for the Indian Navy (IN) were placed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in March 2017 and December 2017 respectively. The combined worth of the two contracts is 14,100 Crore. HAL bagged another contract in February 2015 for 14 Dornier 228 aircraft worth 1,100 Crore.

Seven Squadrons of Akash Missile System are being procured from BEL through an October 2019 contract valued at 6,300 crore. BEL has also bagged a 7,900 Crore order for Integrated Advanced Command and Control System (IACCS) Nodes.

Three long-delayed multi-billion dollar programmes for acquisition of 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA), 6 AIP-fitted diesel-electrical submarines under Project 75(I) and 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) have been given new momentum under the new Strategic Partnership Model

The 4,300 Crore contract for 100 155x52mm Tracked Self-Propelled Guns with Larsen & Toubro is being touted as a major Make in India success story involving the private sector.

Another big private sector contract is in the offing for Phase-II of the Modernization of Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI). The programme is in the final stage of commercial negotiations prior to signing of the contract.

In addition, the Army, Navy and Air Force, through delegated financial powers, have also placed a number of contracts on Private Sector vendors like Titagarh Wagons, Force Motors, Tata Power SED, Tech Mahindra, Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Bharat Forge, MKU, SMPP Delhi and Alpha Design for such requirements as 1,000-Ton Fuel Barges, Light Strike Vehicles, Portable Diver Detection Sonar (PDDS), RFID-based SMART Card, 6x6 and 8x8 High Mobility Vehicle with Material Handling Crane, Dual Technology Mine Detector, Ballistic Helmets, Bullet Proof Jackets (BPJ) and Integrated Gunnery.

The private sector is being actively engaged through new constructs like the Make-II and Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) programmes not just for manufacturing but also for technology development. Forty-four projects have been approved under the Make-II procedure in which Indian private sector companies develop at their own cost prototypes of equipment required by the armed forces

Three long-delayed multi-billion dollar programmes for acquisition of 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA), 6 AIP-fitted diesel-electrical submarines under Project 75(I) and 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) have been given new momentum under the new Strategic Partnership Model, the Ministry of Defence statement emphasises.

Responses to Expression of Interest (EoI) have been received both from Indian Strategic Partner hopefuls and foreign OEMs for the NUH and Project 75 (I) programmes and final shortlists are expected shortly for participation in the tenders. The Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft programme is at the stage of finalisation of Air Staff Quality Requirements.

In addition, the private sector is being actively engaged through new constructs like the Make-II and Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) programmes not just for manufacturing but also for technology development. Forty-four projects have been approved under the Make-II procedure in which Indian private sector companies develop at their own cost prototypes of equipment required by the armed forces. Forty-Plus startups have been engaged under iDEX for new technology-related projects.