DAC Approves Rs 1.10 Lakh Crore Defence Procurement for Indian Armed Forces

Key facts

• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on September 7, 2026, approved Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for defence acquisition proposals worth around Rs 1.10 lakh crore.
• The approvals cover requirements of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, with about 98% of the procurements expected to be sourced from Indian industry.
• For the Army, the DAC cleared proposals for CBRN reconnaissance vehicles, High Mobility Vehicles, Self-Propelled Mechanical Mine Layers, Advanced Light Helicopters, Trawl Tanks and the Sarvatra Bridge System.
• The CBRN reconnaissance vehicles will detect, identify, monitor and mark areas contaminated by chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents.
• The Advanced Light Helicopters will be used by the Army and Air Force for missions across different terrains and operational situations.
• For the Indian Navy, the DAC cleared procurement of Arudhra Radars and the design and development, followed by procurement, of Marine Gas Turbines.
• The Arudhra Radars will replace existing Air Route Surveillance Radars at various Naval Air Stations, while Marine Gas Turbines are used for warship propulsion and their indigenous development will reduce dependence on foreign vendors.
• For the Indian Air Force, the DAC approved Ground-Based Multi-Purpose Jammers to counter adversary radars and the Defence Forces Secure Access Card (DEFSAC) system, which will replace paper-based identity cards with interoperable RFID smart cards.
• An Acceptance of Necessity is an in-principle administrative approval that allows a procurement proposal to move forward but does not amount to signing a contract.