India's Defence Acquisition Council clears defence procurements worth ₹52,000 crore

Key facts

• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for defence procurement proposals worth approximately ₹52,000 crore.
• For the Indian Army, the DAC approved the procurement of the Anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Electronic Warfare System 'AKASH TARANG', Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) Systems, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) Weapon System, Very Short Range Air Defence System (V-SHORADS), Active Protection System for Tanks, and Jet-Based Kamikaze Drone System.
• The Indian Navy's approved procurements include the Multi Influence Ground Mine (MIGM), Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial System (NSUAS), and the establishment of a Land Based Testing Facility (LBTF) for Electric Propulsion Systems.
• The DAC approved the procurement of a Fixed-Wing Based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (FW-HAPS) for the Indian Air Force to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), telecommunications, and remote sensing capabilities.
• Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) is the first stage in India's capital acquisition process, providing in-principle approval for military equipment before tendering and contract negotiations.