Collaboration with Foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers intrinsic to Atmanirbhar Bharat: Army Chief

New Delhi: The Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande on Thursday said that "collaboration with foreign Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEMs is intrinsic to Atmanirbhar Bharat.""The ongoing reforms in the defence sector offer opportunities for foreign OEMs to partner with Indian companies," General Pande added."There are new opportunities for our foreign partners. 'Atmanirbharta' is not just about isolating ourselves from the world, it is also about being self-sustaining and pursuing policies that promote efficiency, quality & resilience," the Indian Army Chief said."The pandemic was a watershed event. Global supply chains were disrupted. We also witnessed a stand-off on our northern borders. These twin conditions reinforced the fact that self-sufficiency in critical defence requirements is a strategic imperative," he added.What is an Original Equipment Manufacturer An OEM is a firm that makes components that are used in another company's end product.On Tuesday, the defence ministry on Tuesday approved the procurement of military equipment and weapons worth Rs 28,000 crore including swarm drones, carbines and bulletproof jackets.The ministry said approval to procure four lakh close-quarter battle carbines was granted to combat the "current complex paradigm of conventional and hybrid warfare"."This is set to provide a major impetus to the small arms manufacturing industry in India and enhance AtmaNirbharta (self-reliance) in small arms," the ministry said.With inputs from agenciesRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.