Ban on power equipment imports from China, Pak; Can’t give jobs to country that transgresses into India: R K Singh
Any equipment imported will need permission and and we will not give permissions for equipment from China and Pakistan, Singh said.
New Delhi: India will not allow import of power equipment from China and Pakistan, power minister R K Singh announced Friday morning, citing recent transgression in border areas and cyber security threats. Imports from other nations will need permissions.
“Today we manufacture everything that is required for power generation, transmission and distribution. In 2018-19, we imported Rs 71,000 crore power equipment of which Rs 21,000 crore are Chinese. 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.
Singh also said that the electricity grid was vulnerable to attacks. “Power system is vulnerable to malware attacks, which can shut down our communications, data base and defence systems. That is why all imports need to be inspected and few countries need to be banned,” Singh said in his speech in Hindi adding other countries also restrict imports of critical power equipment.
An executive order moved by the White House in May blocked and mitigated transactions involving bulk-power system electric equipment manufactured or supplied by a “foreign adversary”.
Singh sought support from state governments in stopping imports of tower elements, conductors, transformers and meter parts which are available indigenously.
He said high imports, particularly from China, was concern in renewable energy sector too. He said China sells equipment at artificially low rates for dumping and hurting Indian manufacturing. He said the government plan to impose duty of 25% on solar equipment imports from August 1, which is proposed to be raised to 40% from next year.
ET reported on Thursday that in his meet with various state power ministers on Friday, Union power minister R K Singh is likely to ask states to comply with the Central public procurement norms in placing orders.
The government is keeping a close watch on the tendering of the Rs 55,000-crore emission control equipment by the thermal power sector that has placed large orders on Chinese companies in the past.
Most private and various state power companies are in discussions with Chinese companies for the emission control gear. Power utilities of states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra have sought global bidders for procurement against the Centre’s public procurement norms. While Gujarat has placed order with a Chinese firm, Haryana recently cancelled its Chinese order.
Source: energy.economictimes.indiatimes
