New Delhi: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Monday accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), or in-principle administrative approval, to a series of defence acquisition proposals worth approximately Rs 1.10 lakh crore, in a major push to strengthen the operational capabilities of the armed forces and promote domestic defence manufacturing.
Notably, out of the total proposals cleared by the DAC, around 98 per cent of the procurement is slated to be sourced from Indian industry, underlining the government’s focus on self-reliance in defence production and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.
For the Indian Army, the DAC approved the procurement of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Recce Vehicles, High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs), Self-Propelled Mechanical Mine Layers (MMLs), Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs), Trawl Tanks and the Sarvatra Bridge System.
The CBRN Recce Vehicles will provide the Army with enhanced capabilities to detect, identify, monitor and mark areas contaminated by chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear agents. The High Mobility Vehicles are expected to strengthen operational mobility, logistics and support capabilities, particularly in challenging terrains.
The Self-Propelled Mechanical Mine Layers will provide the Army with faster and more responsive mine-laying capabilities in difficult terrain. The Advanced Light Helicopters will be used to undertake complex missions across varied terrain and operational situations for both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
The Trawl Tanks and Sarvatra Bridge System will provide composite crossing capabilities to fighting formations during operations across different types of terrain, enhancing the mobility of troops and equipment during combat operations.
For the Indian Navy, the DAC granted AoN for the procurement of Arudhra Radars, along with the design, development and subsequent procurement of Marine Gas Turbines (MGTs).
The Arudhra radar systems will replace existing Air Route Surveillance Radars deployed at various Naval Air Stations, thereby strengthening the Navy’s surveillance capabilities. The Marine Gas Turbines, which form a critical component of warship propulsion systems, are expected to reduce the Navy’s dependence on foreign vendors by encouraging indigenous development and production.
The Indian Air Force also received approval for several acquisition proposals aimed at enhancing the war-fighting capabilities of its fighter aircraft, transport platforms and helicopters.
The DAC additionally approved the procurement of Ground-Based Multi-Purpose Jammers (GBMPJ) and the installation of the Defence Forces Secure Access Card (DEFSAC) System.
The GBMPJ will provide the armed forces with the capability to conduct effective jamming against adversary radars, strengthening electronic warfare capabilities. The DEFSAC system will replace existing paper-based identity cards, passes and permits with an interoperable, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based smart card system.
The latest approvals come as the government continues to focus on modernising the armed forces while simultaneously expanding the role of domestic defence manufacturers in meeting the military’s requirements. With nearly 98 per cent of the acquisitions cleared under the latest round expected to be sourced from Indian industry, the DAC’s decisions are likely to provide a significant boost to indigenous defence manufacturing, technology development and the government’s broader objective of achieving greater self-reliance in defence production.
