Industry Odisha Bureau, Sep 07: India’s Defence Acquisition Council approved acquisition proposals worth ₹1.10 lakh crore. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the council meeting on Monday. Nearly 98% of procurement will come from Indian industry. The approvals span the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. The DAC granted Acceptance of Necessity for these proposals.
Acceptance of Necessity marks in-principle administrative approval, not final contracts. It signals the start of a formal procurement process. Actual contracts, financial closure and delivery still remain ahead. The council’s move nonetheless outlines a broad modernisation roadmap.
For the Indian Army, approvals cover several specialised capability areas. These include Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Reconnaissance Vehicles. High Mobility Vehicles and Self-Propelled Mechanical Mine Layers also featured. Advanced Light Helicopters, Trawl Tanks and the Sarvatra Bridge System were included too.
CBRN Reconnaissance Vehicles will detect and identify contaminated zones. They will also monitor and mark CBRN-affected areas precisely. High Mobility Vehicles aim to strengthen logistics and battlefield mobility. These vehicles are meant for operations across challenging terrains.
Mine Layers will offer fast, responsive mine-laying in difficult terrain. Advanced Light Helicopters will support both Army and Air Force missions. Trawl Tanks and the Sarvatra Bridge System aid composite river crossings. Together, these systems reinforce mobility and engineering support functions.
For the Indian Navy, the DAC cleared Arudhra Radar procurement. These radars will replace existing Air Route Surveillance Radars. They will be installed across various Naval Air Stations nationwide. The council also approved Marine Gas Turbines for warship propulsion. This aims to cut Navy dependence on foreign vendors.
The Indian Air Force received approvals across multiple capability fronts. Proposals target fighter aircraft, transport aircraft and helicopter capabilities. Ground-Based Multi-Purpose Jammers were also approved for procurement. These jammers will provide jamming capability against adversary radar systems.
Additionally, the council approved the Defence Forces Secure Access Card system. This will replace paper-based identity cards and access permits. The new system relies on Radio Frequency Identification technology instead. It aims to modernise access and identification across defence establishments.
The 98% Indian-industry sourcing figure stands out significantly here. It reflects growing domestic participation in defence manufacturing. However, this does not indicate complete self-reliance yet. It signals strong reliance on India’s expanding defence-industrial base.
Collectively, the approvals touch mobility, surveillance, propulsion and access systems. Army modernisation focuses on terrain mobility and battlefield engineering support. Navy approvals emphasise surveillance upgrades and indigenous propulsion technology. Air Force proposals strengthen electronic warfare and operational security infrastructure.
These proposals reflect India’s continuing tri-service modernisation priorities. They also underscore an emphasis on domestic defence manufacturing. The scale of approval highlights sustained procurement activity across services. Actual capability gains will depend on subsequent contracting and delivery.
