No more quota for Indian UAV companies

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Indian companies will not be restricted to manufacture new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAVs) UAV’s. This is part of the ‘Make in India’ policy, in the framework of which the Indian government has lifted an annual quota fixed for the manufacture of UAVs by private companies in India.

According to the Free Press Journal, the Defense Ministry sources said the quota was preventing the Indian firms to meet the domestic demand as the UAVs continued to be imported to cover up the deficit.

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As many as 23 companies have been given license to make the UAVs while the Defense Ministry has relaxed the rules to allow them to sell the mini aircraft to the paramilitary forces, police and other government agencies without requiring its permission.

The only public sector undertaking to get the UAV license in 2008 is the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), while the prominent private companies securing the licenses since 2004 when the policy of UAV licenses was introduced include Tata Systems of Technologies, Ashok Leyland Defense System, Swelo Systems and Nova Integrated Systems.

While relaxing the rules, the Defense Ministry has issued the security guidelines that require that the ownership of the manufacturer should be in the hands of the Indians and its CEO should also be an Indian.