New Delhi: The share of Indian companies in contracts awarded by the Union Defence Ministry for procurement of defence equipment increased from 39.06 per cent in 2015-16 to 75.03 per cent in 2019-20, the government said on Monday.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Indigenously manufactured equipment are procured to the maximum extent possible, keeping in view the requirement of operational preparedness."

"The percentage of contracts (awarded) to Indian vendors has increased from 39.06 per cent in 2015-16 to 75.03 per cent in 2019-20," he added.

In a written reply to another question in the Upper House of Parliament, Singh said in the last five years from 2015-16 to 2019-20 (upto January, 2020), 158 contracts were signed with Indian vendors against 100 with foreign vendors for capital procurement of defence equipment for the armed forces. "The defence equipment procured from Indian vendors over the last five years includes helicopters, radars, electronic fuses, bridges, ballistic helmets, bulletproof jackets, rocket launchers and vehicles," Singh said.

Agencies