The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Friday granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals worth about Rs 52,000 crore, aimed at strengthening the operational preparedness of the armed forces.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the approvals cover a range of systems for the Army, Navy and Air Force, including anti-drone capabilities, missiles, air defence systems, unmanned platforms and surveillance assets.
For the Indian Army, the DAC cleared procurement of 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 systems, Very Short Range Air Defence System (V-SHORADS), Active Protection Systems for tanks and jet-based kamikaze drone systems.
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The ministry said AKASH TARANG will provide effective anti-UAV protection to Army formations, while MPATGM systems will enhance the infantry's ability to counter mechanised threats. The MRSAM and V-SHORADS will strengthen India's layered air defence network, and the Active Protection System is expected to improve tank survivability. Jet-based kamikaze drones will enhance electronic warfare capability with greater lethality while remaining cost-effective.
For the Indian Navy, approvals include 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 ministry said these systems will improve maritime situational awareness, deny adversaries freedom of manoeuvre and support testing of propulsion technologies.
The Indian Air Force received approval to procure Fixed-Wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (FW-HAPS) and other systems. According to the ministry, FW-HAPS will provide persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, telecommunications and remote sensing capabilities.
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"The Defence Acquisition Council... accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to various acquisition proposals for the Defence Forces at an estimated cost of about Rs 52,000 crore," the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
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