Ban on power equipment imports from China: R K Singh

India will not allow import of power equipment from China and Pakistan, Power Minister R K Singh announced, citing recent transgression in border areas and cyber security threats. Imports from other nations will need permissions.

India’s import bill for power equipment was around Rs. 71,000 crore in the year 2018-19 even when we have manufacturing facility and ability for various requirements of the power sector, which includes import of over Rs. 20,000 crore from China. We cannot tolerate this, that you have a country which transgresses into our country and yet we create jobs in that country, when we have the ability to manufacture it (equipment) ourselves. We have decided not to buy from prior-reference countries. Any equipment imported will need permission. And we will not give permissions for equipment from China and Pakistan.”

He also said that power sector being strategic and essential in nature is vulnerable for cyber attacks. Therefore, he added, imported equipments will be subjected testing to check influx of malwares like Trojan etc. He also stressed that it should be our sincere endeavour to promote manufacturing of power infrastructure equipments within the country.