16 defence projects get industrial licences

The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) granted 16 industrial licenses for defence projects worth ₹ 613 crore in its last meeting.

The approved proposals included applications from the Tata Group, Pipavav, Samtel Thales and Titagarh Wagons, according to an official release.

The DIPP’s industrial licenses committee has granted a total of 73 licenses to defence projects since last June in line with the government’s objective of promoting defence manufacturing under its ‘Make in India’ initiative, the release added.

“Many of these proposals were pending with the government for several years,” it said.

The approved licences are for manufacture of various kinds of arms and ammunition such as helicopters, aircrafts, radars, bullet proof jackets and helmets, tanks, war-fare systems, mortar bombs, missiles and guns.

Recently, the government increased the initial validity period of industrial licence for defence sector to seven years from three years.

Such licences can be further extended up to three years, in view of the long gestation period of defence contracts.