Article Posted on : - May 17, 2012

NEW DELHI (PTI): Since 2009-10, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) have exported products worth nearly Rs 1,815 crore to over 50 countries including the US, the UK, China, and Israel, government has told the Rajya Sabha.

Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju tabled a report Wednesday providing the value of material exported by nine DPSUs to a total of 53 countries.

"Overall there is a continuous progress in the exports by Defence PSUs," he said in a written reply. The total export value generated by the DPSUs stood at Rs 1,81,487 lakh.

During the last three years, Defence PSUs have exported products to several key countries such as the US, the UK, Canada, China, Israel, Germany and France, he said. The countries in the Indian sub-continent to which products were exported include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Maximum export was generated by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) which sold material worth Rs 78,306 lakh.

Replying to a question on Sainik Schools, Defence Minister A K Antony said, "At present, there are 24 Sainik Schools in the country. In-principle approval has been given to set up three new schools in Sambalpur (Orissa), Sagar (Madhya Pradesh) and Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh)."