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The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on September 7 accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), or in-principle administrative approval, to various acquisition proposals for the armed forces worth around Rs 1.1 lakh crore.

Around 98% of the procurements approved under the AoNs will be sourced from Indian industry, in a major boost to domestic defence manufacturing.

Army Gets Nod For CBRN Vehicles, Helicopters, Mine Layers

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 be capable of detecting, identifying, monitoring and marking areas contaminated with CBRN agents.

The HMVs will enhance operational capabilities, logistics support and mobility in challenging terrains, while the MMLs will provide faster and responsive mine-laying capabilities in difficult terrain.

The ALHs will be used for complex missions across various terrains and operational situations by the Indian Army and Indian Air Force. The Trawl Tanks and Sarvatra Bridge System will provide composite crossing capabilities to fighting formations during operations across varied terrains.

Navy To Get Arudhra Radars, Indigenous Marine Gas Turbines

For the Indian Navy, the DAC accorded AoN for the procurement of Arudhra Radars and the design, development and subsequent procurement of Marine Gas Turbines (MGTs).

The Arudhra Radars will replace the existing Air Route Surveillance Radars at various Naval Air Stations.

The MGTs, which are used as warship propulsion systems, are aimed at reducing the Navy’s dependence on foreign vendors.

IAF Gets Nod For Jammers, Secure Access Card System

For the Indian Air Force, the DAC approved several proposals aimed at enhancing the war-fighting capabilities of fighter aircraft, transport aircraft and helicopters.

Approval was also granted for the procurement of Ground-Based Multi-Purpose Jammers (GBMPJs) and the installation of the Defence Forces Secure Access Card (DEFSAC) System.

The GBMPJs will provide effective jamming against adversary radars, while the DEFSAC system will replace existing paper-based identity cards, passes and permits with an interoperable Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based smart card system.

98% Procurements To Come From Indian Industry

Of the total AoNs approved by the Defence Acquisition Council, approximately 98% of the procurements will be made from Indian industry, underscoring the government’s focus on strengthening indigenous defence capabilities.