New Delhi: On Monday, October 26, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved capital acquisition proposals worth approximately ₹2.12 lakh crore for the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Around 82% of the proposed procurement is to be sourced from Indian industry, strengthening the government's push for domestic defence manufacturing.
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For the Army, the approvals covered self-propelled tracked gun systems, high-mobility vehicles, light multi-role helicopters, very short-range air defence systems and counter-drone equipment. The proposals also included surveillance UAVs, integrated surveillance and strike systems, and long-range kamikaze drones to strengthen battlefield surveillance and strike capabilities.
For the Navy, the council cleared proposals for Active Offboard Decoy Systems to improve protection against modern anti-ship missiles, along with other major naval platforms. The Air Force received approval for helicopters, air defence systems, weapons and mobile X-band Doppler weather radars to improve operational readiness and weather monitoring in forward areas.
The approvals reflected the growing importance of drones, counter-drone systems, surveillance and precision-strike capabilities in modern warfare. The proposed equipment is expected to improve mobility, battlefield awareness and protection against emerging aerial threats across the three services.
However, the council's decisions are Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) approvals, which provide in-principle clearance rather than final procurement contracts. The proposals must proceed through subsequent acquisition stages before contracts, suppliers and delivery schedules are finalised. The emphasis on Indian industry nevertheless offers significant opportunities for domestic defence manufacturers.
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