DefExpo to enable Indian companies to forge ties: Official

With a new Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) focused largely on promoting 'Make in India', the coming DefExpo India 2016 in Goa will provide a platform to Indian companies to forge ties, Defence Production Secretary A.K. Gupta said on Wednesday.

"With the DPP focusing on 'Make in India', the expo will provide a platform for Indian companies and foreign companies to interact," Gupta said at a press conference here.

It is the first time that over a 1,000 companies have registered for the four-day expo from March 28, including 490 foreign and 540 Indian companies.

"At present, around 50 to 55 percent procurement is from domestic companies," Gupta said, adding that indigenous procurement comes to around 40 percent after removing foreign components in those products.

"With the new DPP, we want to take this to 60 percent in the next 4-5 years," he said.

The new DPP is set to be unveiled on March 28. It is, however, not clear yet if it will be released at the exhibition itself.

Defence Exhibition Organisation Director Wg Cdr M.D. Singh said the increased numbers of companies at the exhibition were due to changed norms.

"Earlier, Indian companies got some concession and sublet their space to foreign vendors. This time, the fee was brought down so many companies have registered directly," Singh said.

US with 93 participating companies tops the list, followed by Russia with 71 and UK with 46.

For the first time, the expo will have live demonstration by Defence Research and Development Organisation, Bharat Forge and Tata. The DRDO has the largest indoor and outdoor spaces reserved at the expo.

With 'Make in India' in focus, the exhibition will showcase indigenous light combat aircraft 'Tejas', Akash missile system, DRDO's towed howitzer and 155mm artillery gun 'Dhanush'.

Tejas will give air displays at the exhibition, while the Dhanush gun and mini-battle tanks will showcase their capabilities.