Defence procurement worth Rs 2.12 lakh crore cleared for forces

The Defence Acquisition Council on Monday cleared defence procurement proposals worth about Rs 2,12,000 crore for the armed forces, with around 82 percent of the equipment to be sourced from Indian industry. The council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity to the capital acquisition proposals, the Defence Ministry said.

Acceptance of Necessity is in-principle administrative approval for a proposed purchase. It starts the procurement process; it is not the award of a contract. That distinction matters for the defence procurement figures reported on Monday, since the systems cleared still have to go through the later stages of purchase before they reach the forces.

What the defence procurement approval covers

For the Indian Army, the defence procurement approval covers high mobility vehicles, a self-propelled tracked gun system, a gun shot response system, light multi-role helicopters, very short-range air defence systems and a platform-based counter-unmanned aerial system. It also covers an unmanned aerial system brick long range, surveillance UAVs, an integrated surveillance and strike system and a long-range kamikaze drone system.

The ministry set out what each system is meant to do. High mobility vehicles are expected to improve logistics and mobility in difficult terrain, while the tracked gun system will give mechanised formations matching mobility and firepower. The gun shot response system will give real-time situational awareness, and the very short-range air defence system will engage small aerial threats. The counter-drone system is meant to improve the survivability of tanks on a battlefield where drones are now common.

How the defence procurement splits across the services

The light multi-role helicopters cleared in this round of defence procurement will be used by both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force for reconnaissance and surveillance, combat, search and rescue of troops, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. For the Indian Navy, the Defence Acquisition Council approved the Active Offboard Decoy System, which is designed to counter modern anti-ship missiles, along with other major naval platforms. The Indian Air Force approvals include new helicopters, air defence systems, specialised weapons and mobile X-band Doppler weather radar systems.

The Defence Acquisition Council is the Defence Ministry's highest decision-making body on military procurement, and Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting that cleared these proposals. The approvals cover the Army, the Navy and the Air Force in a single sitting, which is why the total value is large and the list of systems is long.

The Defence Acquisition Council gives in-principle approval before the detailed stages of a purchase begin. Each proposal cleared on Monday will now go through those stages, and the final cost and delivery schedule will be settled only when contracts are signed.

Why most defence procurement will come from Indian industry

Around 82 percent of the defence procurement cleared on Monday will be sourced from Indian industry, the ministry said. That share reflects a deliberate direction in recent years toward domestic production of military equipment, and it means much of the Rs 2.12 lakh crore in proposals is expected to flow to Indian firms as the purchases move forward.

The emphasis on drones and counter-drone systems in this round is also clear from the list. Long-range kamikaze drones, surveillance UAVs and integrated surveillance and strike systems sit alongside counter-drone defences and short-range air defence, covering both the use of unmanned systems and protection against them. The Defence Acquisition Council accorded Acceptance of Necessity to the proposals on Monday, and the procurement process for the systems will now move to its next stages.