Indian Defence Acquisition Council Approves Rs 79,000 Crore Military Procurement
The Indian Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved a major defence procurement package worth about ₹79,000 crore (approximately $8.90 billion) on 23 October. These capital acquisition proposals aim to modernise equipment and improve combat readiness.
The DAC granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for several key Army systems. These include the Nag Missile System (Tracked) Mk-II (NAMIS), a Ground-Based Mobile ELINT System (GBMES) for electronic surveillance and High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs) with material-handling cranes. They will significantly improve the Army’s lethality and logistics: the NAMIS can neutralise enemy armoured vehicles, bunkers and field fortifications while the GBMES provides round-the-clock electronic intelligence and the HMVs improve logistics support across difficult terrain.
The Navy’s acquisitions focus on firepower and amphibious capability. AoN was accorded for new Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) – amphibious ships that can carry troops, vehicles and helicopters – along with 30mm Naval Surface Guns (NSG) and smart 76mm gun ammunition. Approvals also cover indigenously developed Advanced Lightweight Torpedoes (ALWT) for anti-submarine warfare, and an Electro-Optical/Infra-Red Search and Track system for sensors. These LPDs will greatly enhance India’s ability to undertake large-scale amphibious operations and disaster relief, while the ALWT torpedoes (from DRDO’s NSTL) can target conventional, nuclear or midget submarines. The new 30mm NSG will further bolster low-intensity maritime defence and anti-piracy patrols.
The Air Force will see upgrades in long-range strike and unmanned systems. The DAC cleared the Collaborative Long-Range Target Saturation/Destruction System (CLRTS/DS), an autonomous loitering munition (drone) with its own take-off, navigation and payload delivery. This “smart swarm” platform will extend the Air Force’s precision strike reach. AoN was also given for related unmanned and electronic warfare platforms to round out the IAF’s modernisation.
A key theme across all approvals is “Make in India”. The Ministry of Defence noted that all acquisitions are under the ‘Buy (Indian – IDDM)’ category, reaffirming the government’s push for self-reliance. Most of these weapons and platforms will be produced domestically – in fact over 90% of current DAC approvals have indigenous content. The package boosts India’s self-reliant defence posture: it fills important capability gaps, enhances joint force operations (from the Himalayas to the high seas), and signals strength amid evolving regional threats.