India cannot depend on imports for essential goods: FM Sitharaman

India must become more self-reliant after the pandemic disrupted supply chains and showed the risks of depending on imports for essential goods, the finance minister said on Wednesday.

"Even as we want to be linked with the global value chains, we have to understand and take cognizance of the risks it has posed us," Nirmala Sitharaman said. She said India had to import protective equipment and testing kits during the initial phase of the pandemic.

She said India will need to build manufacturing centres at scale to reduce dependency in the future.