NEW DELHI—India is taking steps to become self-reliant in defense production, as a result of disruptions that the pandemic has caused to the global supply chain since last year. Foreign direct investment in defense production has increased to 74 percent from 49 percent, and the government says it will promote “Made in India” in that industry to make the country strategically independent. That was one of the steps outlined by the country’s finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a special economic package of $307.65 billion (20 lakh crores) under its Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, or Self-Reliance Campaign. “A list of weapons/platforms will be released which will be banned for import based on a year wise timeline. Further, the government has planned to improve the autonomy, accountability, and efficiency in Ordnance Supplies by the corporatization of Ordnance Factory Board,” the Indian government said in a statement. Defense and …