New Delhi: The Union defence ministry of Defence (MoD) has asked the Intelligence Bureau to keep an eye on private sector defence companies to prevent leakage of classified information about Indian military projects to foreign nationals.

The move comes at a time when the Modi government is taking several steps to promote opportunities for the Indian private sector in the military industrial sector and anumber of new such firms are expected to come up in the near future.

“The CEOs of private sector firms will have to report to the Intelligence Bureau about the visit of foreign nationals within 15 days of any such visit to their production facility,” said a MoD circular issued recently.

These firms will have to provide to the Intelligence Bureau the details of the purpose and visits by these foreign nationals, it said.