In a significant boost to India’s defence capabilities, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Friday granted in-principle approval for military procurements worth approximately Rs 52,000 crore.
The Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) covers a range of critical systems for the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, with a strong focus on enhancing protection against drones, improving anti-tank and air defence capabilities, and strengthening overall combat readiness.
“The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on July 03, 2026, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), i.e., in-principle administrative approval to various acquisition proposals for the Defence Forces at an estimated cost of about Rs 52,000 crore,” said ANI in a X post.
The DAC met after a gap of many months and will see Gen Raja Subramani, Gen Dhiraj Seth and Admiral Krishna Swaminathan for the first time attending it as chiefs.
Benefits for the Indian Army
Under the acquisition approval, the Army will benefit from several major acquisitions:
- ‘Akash Tarang’ Anti-UAV Electronic Warfare System: This will provide robust protection to Army formations against unmanned aerial threats.
- Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) Systems: These shoulder-fired missiles will significantly enhance infantry units’ ability to take on enemy armoured vehicles.
- Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) Weapon System: Designed to counter a variety of standoff aerial threats at medium ranges.
- Very Short Range Air Defence System (V-SHORADS): Equipped with multi-spectral sensors, it will offer highly effective and resilient close-range air defence.
- Active Protection System for Tanks: This advanced system will dramatically improve the survivability of armoured vehicles by intercepting incoming threats.
- Jet-Based Kamikaze Drone System: These loitering munitions promise greater lethality, better electronic warfare resilience, and cost-effectiveness.
The Navy secured approvals
- Multi-Influence Ground Mine (MIGM): These smart mines will help restrict enemy naval movements in strategic waters.
- Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial System (NSUAS): Advanced sensor-equipped drones that will significantly improve maritime situational awareness.
- Land-Based Testing Facility (LBTF) for Electric Propulsion System: This facility will support testing and development of electric motors and propulsion systems for future naval platforms.
The Indian Air Force approvals
The IAF has received clearance for the procurement of Fixed-Wing Based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (FW-HAPS), along with other proposals.
These high-altitude, long-endurance platforms will provide persistent Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR), communication relay, and remote sensing capabilities.
This latest round of approvals reflects the government’s continued emphasis on indigenisation and rapid modernisation of the armed forces. Most of these systems are expected to be sourced from Indian defence companies under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, strengthening the domestic industry while enhancing operational capabilities across all three services.
Bureau Report
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