Article Posted on : - Feb 11, 2021

IAFs aerobatic teams Suryakiran and Sarang perform during the valedictory function of the 13th edition of Aero India 2021 at Yelahanka Air Base in Bengaluru, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021. A PTI Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI):  India exported military hardware and equipment worth over Rs 34,000 crore in the last five years, according to details provided by the government in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Replying to a question, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said the total exports by both private and defence public sector undertakings were worth Rs 2059.18 crore in 2015-16 while the number came down to Rs 1521.91 crore in 2016-17.

However, the exports of military hardware went up to Rs 4682.36 crore in 2017-18 and further jumped to Rs 10745.77 crore in 2018-19. The amount for 2019-20 was 9115.55 crore while it was Rs 6288.26 crore in the current fiscal till January 31, according to Naik.

Naik said export authorisation has been granted for torpedo loading mechanism, night vision monocular and binocular, light weight torpedo and fire control systems, armoured protection vehicle, weapons locating radar and coastal surveillance radar among others.

To a separate question, he said FDI inflows of over Rs 4,191 crore have been reported by various companies operating in the defence and aerospace sector.

"Further, FDI inflows of over Rs 2871 crores have been reported in defence and aerospace sector after 2014," he said.

Responding to another query, Naik said a total of 124 Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun Mark-1 have been inducted into the Indian Army since 2008 and two armoured regiments are fully operational with these tanks.

"The DRDO has further developed upgraded MBT Arjun Mark-1A tank. This upgraded MBT Arjun Mark-1A tank has cleared validation trials in December, 2018," he added.

The minister said out of a total of 191 defence capital acquisition deals in the last three years, 118 contracts have been placed with the Indian industry.

"Further, 58 per cent of total expenditure on capital acquisition in the last three years has been made on indigenous procurement," he said.
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Gaganyaan: Second unmanned mission planned in 2022to 23 followed by human spaceflight, says govt

India,Human,Spaceflight,Gaganyaan,Jitendra Singh

New Delhi, Feb 10 (PTI) The human spaceflight module of Gaganyaan will be launched after the second unmanned mission planned in 2022-23, Union minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.

It was initially envisaged that the Rs 10,000 crore Gaganyaan mission aims to send a three-member crew to space for five to seven days by 2022 when India completes 75 years of independence.

"First unmanned mission is planned in December 2021. Second unmanned flight is planned in 2022-23, followed by human spaceflight demonstration," Singh said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

His response also hinted at delay in the last and crucial manned spaceflight.

In her Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said the first unmanned launch is slated for December 2021.

In the past, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) officials had pointed to the delay due to the coronavirus-forced lockdown.

Singh also said the astronaut training at Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC), Russia was halted for a period for nearly a month and a half last year.

"As per COVID 19 protocols in Russia and health advisories issued by local authorities, the astronaut training in Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC), Russia was halted for a period from 28th March, 2020 to 11th May, 2020. As per the revised COVID 19 protocols the training of Indian astronauts has henceforth resumed since 12th May, 2020," he said.