The Russia-Ukraine conflict has underscored India's need for indigenisation of defence manufacturing, as the war has been causing delay in availability of critical equipment that are sourced from Russia, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sanjay Mahindru said on Tuesday.

"That has had a detrimental effect on the availability of equipment, and many programmes critical for our day-to-day functioning to keep the security of the country at the optimal level has been hampered or delayed by this unprecedented situation," he said at an outreach event for indigenisation of the naval aviation industry here.

Mahindru said the imposition of financial sanctions by the US and European Union on Russia has further aggravated the availability of equipment for the Indian forces.

He said India, one of the largest defence importers in the world, was cognisant of the fact that it needs to get out of defence procurement from external sources, even before the conflict.

Plans have been afoot since the last seven to eight years to have India's own defence industry and research, and development facilities to produce equipment as per its own requirements, he said.

Mahindru said the Navy has been at the forefront of indigenisation for many decades in ship and submarine building. The Navy has been continuously engaged with the shipyards and the industry in this endeavour, he said at the programme organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

The vice admiral said the defence forces have been holding sensitisation programmes in different parts of the country for the industry about its needs and specific requirements and also for exchange of ideas.

DRDO scientist and director of Technology Development Fund Scheme (TDF) Nidhi Bansal said if a war has to be fought by the Indian forces in future, it is vital that such it is fought with indigenous military technology.

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