(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada / NEW DELHI, India - March 28, 2012: The message is embarrassing but clear: with India failing to get its act together to build a strong defence-industrial base (DIB) unlike China, it will continue to be the world's largest arms importer in the foreseeable future.
So, gleeful global armament giants are again lining up to hard-sell their aircraft, helicopters, drones, submarines, howitzers, futuristic infantry combat vehicles, missiles, assault rifles and carbines at India's biennial arms jamboree here.
There are going to be 232 foreign firms, mainly from the US, Russia, France, Israel, the UK and Germany, and 60 official delegations in town this week for the four-day "DefExpo-2012' that begins on Thursday.
Over 335 Indian exhibitors, including major ones like Tatas, Punj Lloyd, L&T and Mahindra, will also be there to explore tie-ups and joint ventures with foreign companies as well as DRDO, defence PSUs and domestic shipyards.
"We understand fully well that indigenization cannot happen through only defence PSUs...we have taken several steps to encourage the private sector," said Shekhar Agarwal, secretary (defence production).
