The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Monday approved defence procurement proposals worth approximately ₹79,000 crore, providing a significant boost to India’s military modernisation efforts across the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Announcing the decision, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the DAC accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for multiple proposals aimed at strengthening India’s defence preparedness. “The decisions taken today will help enhance the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces,” he said, adding that the ministry remains focused on equipping the forces with advanced and mission-critical systems.
For the Indian Army, the DAC cleared the acquisition of loitering munitions for artillery units, lightweight radars to detect low-flying aerial threats, and long-range guided rockets for the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket system. Approval was also granted for the Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mark-II) to counter hostile drone activity, reflecting the growing importance of counter-drone warfare.
The Indian Navy received approval to procure bollard pull tugboats, which are essential for the safe movement of warships and submarines within harbours. The DAC also cleared the purchase of high-frequency radios to enhance secure, long-range maritime communication. In addition, the Navy will lease high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to strengthen round-the-clock surveillance and monitoring across the Indian Ocean Region.
For the Indian Air Force, approvals included systems to improve operational safety, training, and combat effectiveness. These comprise an automatic take-off and landing recording system for all-weather operations, Astra Mark-II beyond-visual-range missiles, a full mission simulator for Tejas fighter pilots, and SPICE-1000 guidance kits to enhance precision strike capabilities.
The approvals come as defence continues to receive the largest allocation in the Union Budget. According to PRS Legislative Research, defence spending stood at ₹6.09 lakh crore in FY24, rose to ₹6.41 lakh crore in FY25 (RE), and is budgeted at ₹6.81 lakh crore for FY26, underscoring the government’s sustained focus on national security and military modernisation.
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