The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Monday accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals worth approximately ₹1.10 lakh crore for the Armed Forces.
Around 98 per cent of the approved procurements will be sourced from Indian industry, in a major boost to indigenous defence manufacturing.
For the Indian Army, the approvals cover CBRN reconnaissance vehicles, High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs), Self-Propelled Mechanical Mine Layers (MMLs), Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs), Trawl Tanks and Sarvatra Bridge Systems.
The CBRN reconnaissance vehicles will provide capabilities to detect, identify, monitor and mark areas contaminated by chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents. HMVs will enhance operational mobility and logistics support in difficult terrain, while MMLs will provide rapid and responsive mine-laying capability.
The Army and Indian Air Force will also receive ALHs for undertaking complex missions across diverse terrains and operational environments. Trawl Tanks and Sarvatra Bridge Systems will support fighting formations in establishing crossings across varied terrain during operations.
For the Indian Navy, the DAC cleared the procurement of Arudhra Radars and the design, development and subsequent procurement of Marine Gas Turbines (MGTs). Arudhra Radars will replace existing Air Route Surveillance Radars at various Naval Air Stations, while the indigenous MGT programme is aimed at reducing dependence on foreign vendors for warship propulsion.
For the Indian Air Force, the council approved several proposals to enhance the combat capabilities of fighter aircraft, transport platforms and helicopters. It also cleared the procurement of Ground-Based Multi-Purpose Jammers (GBMPJs) and installation of the Defence Forces Secure Access Card (DEFSAC) system.
The GBMPJs will provide electronic jamming capability against adversary radars, while DEFSAC will replace paper-based identity cards, passes and permits with an interoperable Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based smart-card system.
The latest approvals underline the government’s focus on strengthening operational capabilities while accelerating indigenisation of defence procurement, with the overwhelming majority of the acquisitions earmarked for Indian industry.
