DAC Clears ₹1.10 Lakh Cr Defence Acquisition Proposals
Rajnath Singh-led council grants in-principle approval for major Army, Navy and Air Force procurements
- DAC approves proposals worth about ₹1.10 lakh crore
- Army to procure CBRN vehicles, ALHs, mine layers and bridge systems
- Navy gets approval for Arudhra radars and marine gas turbines
- Around 98% of approved procurements to be sourced from Indian industry
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 7th Sept: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Monday accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), or in-principle administrative approval, to various capital acquisition proposals for the Armed Forces worth about ₹1.10 lakh crore.
For the Indian Army, approvals were granted for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Recce Vehicles, High Mobility Vehicles, Self-Propelled Mechanical Mine Layers, Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs), Trawl Tanks and Sarvatra Bridge Systems.
The CBRN Recce Vehicles will enable detection, identification, monitoring and marking of areas contaminated by CBRN agents. High Mobility Vehicles will strengthen operational capabilities, logistics and mobility in challenging terrains, while Mechanical Mine Layers will provide faster and responsive mine-laying capabilities.
The ALHs will support complex missions across different terrains and operational situations for the Army and Indian Air Force. Trawl Tanks and Sarvatra Bridge Systems will facilitate composite crossings for fighting formations during operations across varied terrains.
For the Indian Navy, the DAC approved procurement of Arudhra Radars and the design and development followed by procurement of Marine Gas Turbines. The Arudhra Radars will replace existing Air Route Surveillance Radars at various Naval Air Stations, while the indigenous development of Marine Gas Turbines is aimed at reducing dependence on foreign vendors.
For the Indian Air Force, the council approved proposals to enhance the war-fighting capabilities of fighter aircraft, transport aircraft and helicopters. Approval was also granted for Ground-Based Multi-Purpose Jammers and the Defence Forces Secure Access Card system.
The Ground-Based Multi-Purpose Jammer will provide jamming capabilities against adversary radars, while the Defence Forces Secure Access Card system will replace paper-based identity cards, passes and permits with interoperable radio-frequency identification-based smart cards.
The Ministry of Defence said approximately 98% of the total procurements covered by the AoNs will be sourced from Indian industry, giving a significant boost to domestic defence manufacturing and self-reliance.
