INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
hubs, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the army was free to buy defence equipment from anywhere in the world
The four-day DefExpo at Thiruvidanthai, near Chennai, is showcasing land, naval and internal homeland security systems.The minister said she
can't "force the forces" to buy only Made in India equipment
While it would be nice if that were to happen, the armed forces were at liberty to pick and choose the equipment they need from anywhere in
the world, she said.While India's military remains the world's biggest buyer of defence equipment, the country is aspiring to become a key
manufacturer and eventually an exporter.To that end, the emphasis at the DefExpo this year is to showcase India's prowess at successfully
manufacturing defence systems - a shift from offering foreign firms to showcase products that India could buy.Today, the minister said there
are "demands" from a few foreign countries to buy missiles from India, but declined to reveal any names
"There would be more opportunities than challenges" to help the country's defence manufacturers earn, she added.
