Offset dilution in defence, a flawed policy turn- Wednesday, October 21, 2020

• Many contend that the move is a setback for augmenting domestic capabilities or for realising the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat

Augment: to increase; to make something (developing) greater in size

• However, the policy has been tweaked many times since.

Tweak: To twist

• The dilution means practically giving up the offset clause, sounding the death knell of India’s prospects for becoming defence production and technological self-reliance.

Death Knell: sounding the end of something

• It is a lamentable excuse for the reported policy failure.

Lamentable: Which deserves serious criticism; very bad; regretable

• Despite the heft of HAL, India is a lightweight in global civilian aircraft manufacturing , as the public sector giant mostly devotes itself to defence production.

Heft: Influence or ability that something or someone possess

• Exports plummeted after the offset clause was relaxed

Plument: to decline suddenly