November 21, 2001

RAJYA SABHA

'33'

STRATEGY FOR SELF-RELIANCE IN SPARES FOR INDIAN AIR FORCE

    A committee has been formed on 19th January 2000 with representatives from Indian Air Force (IAF), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Defence Public Sector Units and Inspection and Certification agencies such as Centre for Military Air Worthiness Certification (CEMILAC) and Director General Aeronautics Quality & Assurance (DGAQA), to look into the requirement of spares for IAF and feasibility of their indigenous development.

    The Government is facing problems in getting spares from abroad due to closure of production units especially from the erstwhile USSR. Spares are being procured from Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, etc. for those contracted items/spares for which the production units have been closed, fresh procurement action is being initiated. In-house expertise of technical personnel has been availed for production and maintenance of the imported equipment.

    This information was given by the Defence Minister Shri George Fernandes in a written reply to Shri C.P. Thirunavukkarasu in Rajya Sabha today.