Is India Defence Self-Reliance Under Siege? How Emergency Buys and Bureaucratic Loopholes Undermine Local Military Industries

The introduction of the Buy (Indian–IDDM) category aimed to promote self-reliance in India’s defense sector. However, a decade later, urgency in procurement, spurred by mechanisms like Emergency Procurement, has diluted original intentions, favoring imports over innovation. Reforms are necessary to ensure genuine support for indigenous defense firms and maintain strategic autonomy.