New Delhi, July 3: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Friday approved capital acquisition proposals worth about Rs 52,000 crore, clearing a range of advanced weapons and surveillance systems for the Army, Navy and Air Force aimed at significantly enhancing the combat readiness of the armed forces.
The approvals were granted by the DAC, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, through the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), the first step in the procurement process.
The Indian Army received approval to procure the AKASH TARANG anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) electronic warfare system, Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) systems, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) weapon system, Very Short Range Air Defence System (V-SHORADS), Active Protection Systems for tanks and jet-based kamikaze drone systems.
According to the Defence Ministry, the acquisitions are intended to strengthen the Army’s capabilities against aerial, armoured and mechanised threats while improving battlefield survivability and electronic warfare capability.
For the Indian Navy, the DAC approved the procurement of Multi Influence Ground Mines (MIGM), Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Systems (NSUAS) and the establishment of a Land-Based Testing Facility (LBTF) for electric propulsion systems.
The Navy said the systems will improve maritime surveillance, deny adversaries operational freedom and support testing of propulsion technologies for future naval platforms.
The Indian Air Force was cleared to procure Fixed-Wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (FW-HAPS) and other systems to strengthen persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, telecommunications and remote sensing capabilities.
The ministry said the acquisitions are aimed at enhancing the operational preparedness of the three services amid evolving security challenges.
