‘Majority of military needs met by indigenous sources’

India may have emerged as the world's largest arms importer but majority of its military requirements are procured from indigenous sources.

In 2011-12, India had spent Rs 80,318.08 crore on procurement of defence equipment for the Army, Air Force and Navy. Of this, 64.95 per cent was procured from indigenous sources, as per figures given by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in a written reply to Lok Sabha said.

In 2012-13, when the entire cost of procurement was Rs 83,090.18 crore, indigenous sources constituted 63.4 per cent.

Similarly, in 2013-14, cost of procurement from indigenous sources stood at 59.01 per cent of the total Rs 93,216.93 crore. Defence sources said a majority of arms and ammunitions procured was from Ordinance Factory Board.

According to a Stockholm-based think tank, India again emerged as the world's largest importer of weapons and military equipment this year, accounting for 15 per cent of global imports, with Russia being its main supplier.