India's Defence Acquisition Council Clears Military Procurements Worth Rs 1.1 Lakh Crore

The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has cleared proposals worth Rs 1.1 lakh crore to enhance the capabilities of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The approvals include the Acceptance of Necessity for several systems, which is the first step in the procurement process. For the Air Force, the plan includes a pilot project to integrate Russian origin RVV BD long range air to air missiles with Sukhoi 30 fighters and the procurement of a ground based multi purpose jammer. The Navy will receive Arudhra radars and the design and development of marine gas turbines to reduce reliance on foreign vendors. The Army's upgrades include chemical biological radiological and nuclear recce vehicles, high mobility vehicles, trawl tanks, and the Sarvatra bridge system. Additionally, the council approved the Defence Forces Secure Access Card system to replace paper based identification with RFID smart cards. The defence ministry stated that approximately 98 percent of these procurements will be made from the Indian industry. This move aligns with a broader government goal to reach defence manufacturing worth Rs 3 lakh crore by 2029 to 2030, following a production value of Rs 1.8 lakh crore in 2025 to 2026.