India should focus on 15 items of imports to achieve self-reliance: Assocham

Industry body Assocham has identified 15 large import items for ramping up the country’s domestic capacity to achieve the objective of Aatmanirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India in 2-3 years.

These items include electronics, coal, iron-steel, non-ferrous metals and vegetable oils, among others.

The analysis, based on the latest data, shows that the electronics goods are the largest non-oil import segment.

Despite the country being under partial lockdown, India imported electronic goods worth USD 2.8 billion only in May, 2020.

“In the circumstance of the industry operating in a normal way, these imports are near about USD 5 billion a month – a huge drain on the forex which needs to be curtailed,” Assocham said in a note.