New Delhi, October 24: India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved capital procurement proposals worth around ₹79,000 crore ($9.5 billion) to strengthen the operational capabilities of the Army, Navy and Air Force, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
The approvals, granted during a meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at South Block, cover a wide range of platforms and systems designed to enhance the military’s lethality, mobility and intelligence-gathering capabilities.
According to the ministry, the latest decisions align with the government’s push for modernisation and self-reliance under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, which prioritises indigenous design and manufacturing in defence acquisitions.
For the Indian Army, the DAC granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of the Nag Missile System (Tracked) Mk-II (NAMIS), the Ground Based Mobile ELINT System (GBMES), and High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs) equipped with material-handling cranes.
The NAMIS system will enhance the Army’s capacity to destroy enemy armoured vehicles, bunkers and fortified positions, while the GBMES will provide round-the-clock electronic intelligence on adversary emitters. The induction of HMVs is expected to improve logistics support in challenging terrains.
For the Indian Navy, approvals include Landing Platform Docks (LPDs), 30 mm naval surface guns, Advanced Light Weight Torpedoes (ALWTs), Electro-Optical Infra-Red Search and Track Systems, and Smart Ammunition for 76 mm Super Rapid Gun Mounts.
The LPDs will enhance the Navy’s amphibious warfare and joint operations capability, as well as its ability to undertake peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) missions. The DRDO-developed ALWT, designed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, can engage conventional, nuclear and midget submarines.
For the Indian Air Force, the DAC approved the Collaborative Long Range Target Saturation/Destruction System (CLRTS/DS) and related systems featuring autonomous take-off and landing, navigation, target detection and payload delivery capabilities. The system is expected to bolster the Air Force’s long-range precision strike capacity.
Officials said the approvals reflect the government’s continuing focus on equipping the armed forces with modern, indigenous technology and strengthening India’s strategic capabilities across all domains.
