NEW DELHI. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), India’s premier decision-making body for military procurement, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has accorded critical Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) approvals for capital acquisitions totaling ₹52,000 crore.
This wide-ranging clearance marks a significant milestone in India’s ongoing efforts to modernise its tri-services while aggressively advancing self-reliance through indigenous production. The massive capital injection targets critical operational gaps, with an unprecedented emphasis on bolstering counter-drone technologies, stratosphere surveillance, electronic warfare, and deep-layered air defence arrays.
Officials noted that these acquisitions are directly informed by modern geopolitical frictions and emerging threats in the region, particularly lessons drawn from recent conflicts that showcased the devastating efficiency of unmanned weapon systems.
For the Indian Army, the DAC has approved an expansive array of highly specialised protective and offensive hardware designed to upgrade infantry and armoured columns.
Central to this defensive umbrella is the indigenous Akash Tarang anti-drone electronic warfare system, which will provide vital shielding against hostile aerial swarms. The Army is also set to receive Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) systems to counter high-velocity aircraft, helicopters, and drones at intermediate distances, alongside Very Short-Range Air Defence Systems (V-SHORADS) for localised tactical protection.
To secure its frontline armour, the council approved Active Protection Systems (APS) for tanks, which act as automated shields to intercept incoming anti-tank projectiles before impact.
Offensive capabilities are simultaneously receiving a potent upgrade with the procurement of state-of-the-art man-portable anti-tank guided missiles and jet-based kamikaze drone systems, giving infantry units cost-effective, precise, and lethal strike options against heavy enemy formations.
The Indian Navy’s maritime domain awareness and defensive capabilities are also receiving a major boost. The DAC cleared the acquisition of advanced multi-influence ground mines alongside sophisticated naval shipborne unmanned aerial systems to expand the surveillance footprint of vessels at sea.
Crucially, the approval outlines the establishment of a revolutionary Land-Based Testing Facility (LBTF) for the Navy. This specialised facility will replicate a ship’s intricate onboard power, combat and propulsion architectures, allowing local engineers to test and perfect cutting-edge electric propulsion technologies for future warship classes.
By building this testing infrastructure domestically, India significantly minimises its historical dependence on foreign testing facilities, streamlining its homegrown warship development timelines.
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force is poised to enter a new era of persistent intelligence gathering with the approval of Fixed-Wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (FW-HAPS) platforms.
Operating deep within the stratosphere at an altitude of approximately 20 kilometres, these advanced platforms bridge the gap between traditional aircraft and orbital satellites. Fitted with cutting-edge electro-optical/infrared sensors and high-resolution cameras, a pseudo satellite can remain stationary over a targeted region for weeks or even months at a time.
It provides the armed forces with uninterrupted reconnaissance, high-resolution live imagery, and highly secure communications networks. Because these systems can be deployed dynamically on demand and recovered safely like conventional aircraft, they offer a highly versatile, cost-effective alternative to launching dedicated military satellites.
This comprehensive wave of approvals firmly underlines the Indian government’s long-term commitment to transforming its military doctrine into a highly tech-centric, indigenously sustained framework. By rapidly transitioning these administrative clearances into active manufacturing contracts, India ensures its tri-services remain heavily prepared for modern, multi-domain battlefield scenarios.
