The import substituting industrialisation was the objective of second FYP (1956-61) till the Seventh FYP (till 1990). The Mahalanobis strategy of development was based on import substitution. The rationale of the import substitution strategy is based on infant industry argument. It helped to save foreign exchange by drastically reducing import of goods. The foreign exchange saved was to be used for the developmental imports such as capital goods, sophisticated technology, etc. It created a protected market and large demand for domestically produced goods.