No action plan for improving defence exports: Govt

New Delhi, Mar 9: Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today (Mar 9, 2006) admitted in the Lok Sabha that the Government has no action plan for increasing exports of defence products, saying the Indian ordnance factories and defence public sector undertakings were basically designed for domestic needs.

The Minister said for a higher level of defence exports, the need was for a quantum jump in quality of the products produced by the ordnance factories and defence PSUs but added that the Government had taken some initiatives to increase defence exports.

Replying to supplementaries during question hour, Mr Mukherjee said the total value of exports by ordnance factories and defence PSUs was Rs 318 crore during 2004-05 and about Rs 252 crore up to February 2006.

In reply to a question, Mr Mukherjee said the snags relating to the induction of Dhruv, Advanced Light Helicopter, into the Indian Air Force and Arjun tanks' entry into the Army had been sorted out.

The Minister said Defence Attaches posted in Indian missions abroad were actively involved in identifying export opportunities and Defence Exports Promotion has been included in their charter of duties.

Further, nodal officers have been appointed in defence PSUs and the Ordnance Factory Board for better coordination between production units, Ministry of External Affairs and Service Headquarters.

UNI