India Unveils Sixth Positive Indigenisation List Covering 405 Critical Defence Items Worth ₹3,070 Crore

India has taken another major step towards reducing dependence on imported defence equipment, with the Ministry of Defence notifying the sixth Positive Indigenisation List covering 405 strategically important items.

The Department of Defence Production said the items together represent an estimated business potential of around ₹3,070 crore for Indian manufacturers. Once successfully developed domestically, these products will be procured from Indian industry instead of being sourced from overseas suppliers.

The latest list covers critical components used across aircraft, helicopters, armoured vehicles, warships, missile systems, defence electronics and ammunition, opening new opportunities for Indian companies, particularly MSMEs involved in specialised defence manufacturing.

405 Items Across Major Defence Platforms

The sixth Positive Indigenisation List includes 389 items associated with Defence Public Sector Undertakings and 16 items required by the Indian Coast Guard.

Unlike lists focused only on complete weapon systems, the latest notification covers a wide range of Line Replaceable Units, sub-systems, sub-assemblies, components, spares and raw materials that are essential for maintaining and producing major defence platforms.

The items relate to several important aviation platforms, including the Advanced Light Helicopter, Light Utility Helicopter, Su-30MKI fighter aircraft, Light Combat Aircraft and the AL-31FP turbofan engine used by the Su-30MKI fleet.

The list also covers equipment and components associated with India’s large inventory of T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks and BMP-II infantry combat vehicles.

Naval systems and components used aboard warships have also been included, alongside equipment connected with missile programmes such as Konkurs-M, Invar and the Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile system.

Radars, Sonars and Defence Electronics Included

A significant portion of the latest indigenisation effort focuses on sophisticated defence electronics.

The notified items include components linked to radars, sonars, fire-control systems and satellite communication equipment, areas where technological capability and secure domestic supply chains are increasingly important.

The list also contains components relating to High Explosive Anti-Tank ammunition and several other categories of critical defence equipment.

Indigenising such components can reduce vulnerabilities caused by overseas supply disruptions while allowing Indian manufacturers to gradually develop expertise in specialised materials, electronics, propulsion, sensors and precision engineering.

Indian Industry to Receive Procurement Opportunities

Every item included in the sixth Positive Indigenisation List has been assigned an indicative timeline for domestic development.

Once an Indian supplier successfully develops and qualifies a listed product, the concerned DPSU or the Indian Coast Guard will procure the item from domestic sources.

The government expects DPSUs and the Coast Guard to pursue these programmes through different mechanisms, including the defence ‘Make’ procedure, industry-led development and in-house development programmes.

MSMEs are expected to play an important role because many of the items involve specialised components and sub-systems rather than complete platforms.

This approach allows smaller Indian engineering companies to enter defence supply chains without having to manufacture an entire aircraft, missile, ship or armoured vehicle.

SRIJAN Portal Drives Defence Indigenisation

The Department of Defence Production launched the SRIJAN Defence Portal in August 2020 to connect the armed forces and defence public sector companies with Indian manufacturers capable of replacing imported equipment.

Through the portal, DPSUs and Service Headquarters identify imported equipment, components and technologies that Indian companies can potentially develop.

By June 2026, more than 33,000 defence items had been offered for indigenisation through the SRIJAN ecosystem.

Of these, 5,012 items were included under the first five Positive Indigenisation Lists, demonstrating the growing scale of the programme.

The sixth list now extends the initiative further into strategically important components supporting some of India’s most important operational platforms.

More Than 15,700 Defence Items Already Indigenised

India’s indigenisation programme has already produced measurable results.

According to the Ministry of Defence, more than 15,700 defence items have been successfully indigenised, generating an estimated import substitution value of around ₹9,000 crore over the last five years.

Defence Public Sector Undertakings have also placed procurement orders, including those connected with in-house production, worth approximately ₹10,000 crore with domestic vendors up to March 2026.

These figures indicate that defence indigenisation is increasingly moving beyond policy announcements into actual procurement and production.

Building Deeper Domestic Defence Supply Chains

The importance of the Positive Indigenisation Lists extends beyond replacing individual imported components.

Modern military platforms depend on thousands of specialised parts, ranging from electronic modules and sensors to alloys, actuators, communication equipment and engine components. Dependence on foreign suppliers for even relatively small components can affect maintenance schedules and operational availability.

Developing these products within India therefore strengthens the country’s ability to maintain its own aircraft, warships, missiles and armoured vehicles over their operational lifetimes.

It can also create opportunities for domestic companies to enter global aerospace and defence supply chains once Indian-developed components achieve the required quality and certification standards.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat Push Expands Further

The sixth Positive Indigenisation List forms part of the wider Aatmanirbhar Bharat programme in defence manufacturing, under which the government has been attempting to steadily increase domestic content across weapons, platforms and supporting systems.

By reserving identified components for indigenous development and eventual domestic procurement, the government aims to provide Indian manufacturers with a predictable market while encouraging investment in research, manufacturing infrastructure and specialised defence technologies.

With 405 additional strategically important items carrying an estimated ₹3,070 crore business opportunity, the latest list broadens the industrial base participating in India’s defence modernisation.

More importantly, it pushes indigenisation deeper into the components and sub-systems that keep major platforms such as the Su-30MKI, LCA, ALH, T-90, BMP-II, warships and missile systems operational, strengthening India’s ability to sustain its armed forces through an increasingly domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem.

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