The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved capital acquisition proposals worth around Rs. 2.12 tn for the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. The approvals were granted on October 26 under the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) framework, which provides in-principle administrative clearance for military procurement.

The proposals cover helicopters, air defence systems, surveillance drones, advanced artillery systems, weapons and naval platforms. The Ministry of Defence said the acquisitions were intended to strengthen India’s defence preparedness, operational capabilities and the services’ ability to respond to evolving threats.

For the Army, the approved equipment includes High Mobility Vehicles, Self-Propelled Tracked Gun Systems, Gun Shot Response Systems, Light Multi Role Helicopters, Very Short-Range Air Defence Systems and Platform-Based Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems. The package also covers long-range unmanned aerial systems, surveillance unmanned aerial vehicles, integrated surveillance and strike systems, and long-range kamikaze drone systems.

The ministry said the vehicles would improve mobility and logistical support in difficult terrain, while the tracked gun systems would provide mechanised formations with greater mobility and firepower. Gun Shot Response Systems would provide troops with real-time situational awareness, while the helicopters would support reconnaissance, surveillance, combat, search and rescue, and humanitarian assistance operations. Air defence and counter-drone systems would help address small aerial threats and improve the survivability of armoured platforms.

For the Navy, the DAC cleared Active Offboard Decoy Systems and other major naval platforms. The decoy systems are intended to strengthen protection against modern anti-ship missiles, while the indigenously designed and constructed platforms would receive updated warfare capabilities. The Air Force will receive helicopters, air defence systems, weapons and Mobile X-Band Doppler Weather Radar Systems. Special Utility Helicopters would support air transport requirements, and the radar systems would provide localised weather surveillance in forward areas. Around 82 per cent of the approved procurements are expected to be sourced from Indian industry, underscoring the government’s focus on domestic defence manufacturing.