New Delhi, Sept. 7 -- The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Monday cleared military procurement proposals worth about Rs 1.10 lakh crore for the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, covering equipment ranging from chemical and nuclear contamination detection vehicles and advanced light helicopters to naval radars, marine gas turbines and electronic warfare systems. The approvals are aimed at meeting operational requirements while expanding the role of Indian manufacturers, with around 98 per cent of the procurements expected to be sourced from domestic industry.
The Defence Ministry said the council granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), which is the in-principle administrative approval for defence acquisitions, to the proposals at an estimated cost of Rs 1,10,000 crore.
For the Army, the approved procurements include Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) reconnaissance vehicles, High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs), self-propelled mechanical mine layers (MMLs), Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs), trawl tanks and the Sarvatra bridge system.
The CBRN reconnaissance vehicles will allow troops to detect, identify, monitor and mark areas contaminated by chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear agents. The capability is intended to help personnel operate in contaminated areas while reducing their exposure to such threats.
The HMVs will support troop movement and logistics in difficult terrain, while the self-propelled mechanical mine layers will improve the Army's ability to lay mines quickly, including in challenging operational environments.
The ALHs will support complex missions across different terrains and operational situations, including troop movement, logistics and surveillance. The trawl tanks and Sarvatra bridge system will help fighting formations create composite crossings during operations in varied terrain, improving their ability to move across obstacles.
For the Navy, the DAC approved the acquisition of Arudhra radars as well as the design and development, followed by procurement, of Marine Gas Turbines (MGTs).
The Arudhra systems will replace existing Air Route Surveillance Radars at various Naval Air Stations, strengthening air surveillance and air traffic control capabilities. The MGT project is focused on developing an indigenous warship propulsion capability. Marine gas turbines are an important component of modern warships, and domestic development is expected to reduce the Navy's dependence on foreign suppliers.
The Air Force also received approvals for projects intended to improve the war-fighting capability of fighter aircraft, transport planes and helicopters. Among the systems cleared is the Ground-Based Multi-Purpose Jammer (GBMPJ), which will provide jamming capability against adversary radars and strengthen electronic warfare operations.
The council also approved the Defence Forces Secure Access Card (DEFSAC) system. Based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, the smart card system will replace paper-based identity cards, passes and permits currently used by defence personnel.
The Ministry said approximately 98 per cent of the total procurements covered by the latest round of AoNs will be made from Indian industry. The decision comes as the government continues to push for greater domestic design, development and manufacturing in defence.
However, the AoNs do not represent final contracts. They begin the procurement process, which is followed by steps such as the issuance of Requests for Proposals, technical and commercial evaluation, negotiations and eventual contract signing.
The latest approvals therefore cover both immediate military requirements and projects aimed at building domestic capabilities in areas such as surveillance, mobility, electronic warfare, propulsion and secure access systems.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.