The Defence Acquisition Council has granted in-principle approval to acquisition proposals estimated at about ₹1.10 lakh crore for the Army, Navy and Air Force, with approximately 98 per cent of the procurement planned from Indian industry.
The council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity to a broad package covering mobility, battlefield engineering, aviation, radar, electronic warfare, naval propulsion and secure access systems.
Acceptance of Necessity is the administrative starting point for a capital acquisition. It does not itself constitute a final purchase contract. The approved proposals will move through the prescribed procurement process, including detailed specifications, tendering, evaluation, commercial negotiations and contract award.
For the Indian Army, the approvals cover Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear reconnaissance vehicles, high-mobility vehicles, self-propelled mechanical mine layers, Advanced Light Helicopters, trawl tanks and the Sarvatra bridge system.
The reconnaissance vehicles are intended to detect, identify, monitor and mark areas contaminated by chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear agents. High-mobility vehicles are meant to strengthen operational movement and logistics in demanding terrain, while mechanical mine layers will support faster and more responsive mine-laying capability.
The Advanced Light Helicopters are proposed for complex missions across varied terrain and operational conditions for both the Army and the Air Force. Trawl tanks and bridge systems are intended to help fighting formations negotiate minefields, obstacles and gaps during operations.
For the Indian Navy, the council approved procurement of Arudhra radars as well as the design, development and subsequent acquisition of marine gas turbines. The radars will replace existing air-route surveillance systems at naval air stations.
Marine gas turbines are critical warship propulsion systems. Developing and procuring them domestically is intended to reduce reliance on foreign vendors in an area where technology, maintenance support and spare availability have direct implications for fleet readiness.
The Air Force package includes proposals to enhance the combat capability of fighter aircraft, transport aircraft and helicopters. Approval has also been given for ground-based multi-purpose jammers capable of disrupting adversary radars.
A Defence Forces Secure Access Card system forms another part of the approvals. The proposed interoperable radio-frequency identification smart cards will replace paper identity cards, passes and permits, improving access control across defence establishments.
The proposed 98 per cent indigenous share gives the package particular industrial significance. If translated into contracts and delivered on schedule, the orders can support Indian manufacturers, specialised suppliers, electronics companies and research organisations while building domestic capacity for maintenance and future upgrades.
The size of the approvals also reflects the effort to modernise the three services through a mix of immediate operational requirements and longer-term technology development. Final capability gains will depend on timely procurement, testing, production and induction, along with reliable lifecycle support after the equipment enters service.
