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OPINION AUGUST 25, 2023 | The Indian Eye 10

Strengthening Resilience:

Atmanirbhar Bharat and Tackling

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities

The ‘Atmanirbhar Abhiyan’ was launched in May 2020 with an aim to make India self-reliant across various sectors,
reducing its dependence on imports and enhancing domestic production capabilities. The programme focuses on five

key pillars: economy, infrastructure, system, vibrant demography, and demand

Courtesy: IDSA

RAJNEESH SINGH blies and sub-assemblies. Lengthy make India self-reliant across various tic manufacturing should be seen as
and complex procurement processes sectors, reducing its dependence on a welcome contribution to the ‘Make
he concept of supply chain have resulted in delays in acquisition imports and enhancing domestic pro- in India, Make for the World’ agen-
resilience has evolved as a re- and limitations of domestic manufac- duction capabilities. da of the Prime Minister, articulated
Tsponse to various economic turing and technological dependence The programme focuses on five during his Independence Day speech
changes, technological advancements, have exposed vulnerable supply chain key pillars: economy, infrastructure, of 2022. ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ is not
vulnerabilities due to infrastructure to extraneous influences. system, vibrant demography, and about isolating India’s manufacturing
disruptions, besides natural disasters The challenges to India’s sup- demand. By promoting indigenous ecosystem from the world, rather it is
and environmental concerns. Supply ply chain and defense manufactur- manufacturing, innovation, and skill about merging domestic production
chains are susceptible to geopolitical ing have got magnified because of development, the programme seeks and consumption with global supply
tensions and war time disruptions. the general shift in industrial supply to build a robust and self-sufficient chains. The programme aims to be
Globalization and lean produc- chain towards East Asia, particularly economy. The government’s initiative self-sustaining and self-generating.
tion practices have enhanced efficien- to China. This shift in industrial man- aims to mitigate and adapt to shocks, Since 2020, a slew of measures
cy but have brought about greater ufacturing has placed India’s supply disruptions, and uncertainties in sup- has been announced by the govern-
interdependency and reduced buffer chain under threat, especially during ply chain by establishing domestic ment to improve defense indigeni-
stocks, thereby increasing vulnera- wars. China has a disproportionate production capabilities of defense zation and domestic manufacturing.
bilities. The complexity and inter- influence over the global supply chain equipment and platforms. Prominent amongst these are empha-
connection of global supply chains because of the large R&D budget, The ‘Atmanirbhar Abhiyan’ is an sis on procuring from domestic man-
has heightened the realization of the and civilian industrial base includ- enabler for the three services to pro- ufacturers; the positive indigenization
need for supply chain resilience and ing high-tech manufacturing. There cure weapons and equipment as per lists; establishment of defense indus-
self-reliance in production. are also challenges of ownership of the operational requirements without trial corridors; and the corporatiza-
India’s defense supply chain, like the firms, including those located in the impediments of external vetoes. tion of Ordnance Factory Board. The
many others around the world, faces friendly countries, but with Chinese The programme does not aim to iso- government is also committed to en-
a range of vulnerabilities that has a ownership. Taiwan and Israel have late India’s defense ecosystem from courage innovations through schemes
direct impact on defense prepared- the world’s leading electronics and foreign participation, rather India will of iDEX and has earmarked funds for
ness and operational efficiency of its semiconductor industries. Over-con- continue to pragmatically import for- research and development by private
armed forces. Indian armed forces centration of indispensable items eign equipment involving niche tech- industry and startups.
have been further constrained due to for defense manufacturing increases nology, not available in the country. In order to encourage domestic
traditional reliance on imports for a vulnerabilities and calls for diversifi- This is to obviate near-term defense procurement, the government has
significant percentage of its weapons cation. he ‘Atmanirbhar Abhiyan’ was vulnerabilities. earmarked more than 75 per cent of
platforms, technology, and assem- launched in May 2020 with an aim to Foreign participation in domes- Continued on next page... >>

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