The Prime Minister's Office has done the right thing by asking all ministries to prefer ‘Made in India' goods. No doubt, with the emergence of information technology, electronic items are the largest in demand. But, then, what about core industries like power, steel, infrastructure and the likeIJ The Government would be well advised to issue instructions that the import of products in the core sector must be discouraged unless domestic firms express their inability to manufacture and supply power plants and equipment and steel of world-class quality.
In fact, one public sector firm, Bharat Heavy Electricals ltd, has, in a number of cases, bagged contracts against global companies from the US, the UK, Germany etc on the basis of its track record in terms of manufacture and supply of products. And, now, it is starved of orders mainly because of the Government policy of all-out entry of private companies. The Government must do its duty of protecting heavy industries.