The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Thursday approved a series of capital acquisition proposals worth around ₹79,000 crore aimed at enhancing the operational and combat capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces. The meeting was held at South Block, New Delhi.
According to Defence Ministry, the approvals include key procurements for the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, covering advanced weapon systems, platforms, and support equipment designed to strengthen India’s defence preparedness across multiple domains.
For the Indian Army, the DAC accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of the Nag Missile System (Tracked) Mk-II (NAMIS), Ground-Based Mobile ELINT System (GBMES), and High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs) equipped with material-handling cranes. The NAMIS (Tracked) system will significantly enhance the Army’s ability to neutralise enemy armoured vehicles, bunkers, and fortifications, while the GBMES will provide round-the-clock electronic intelligence on enemy emitters. The induction of HMVs is expected to improve logistic support for troops across varied terrains.
For the Indian Navy, approvals were granted for the acquisition of Landing Platform Docks (LPDs), 30mm Naval Surface Guns (NSGs), Advanced Lightweight Torpedoes (ALWTs), Electro-Optical Infrared Search and Track Systems, and Smart Ammunition for 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mounts. The LPDs will enhance the Navy’s amphibious warfare capabilities, enabling joint operations with the Army and Air Force. They will also play a key role in peacekeeping missions and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
The ALWT, indigenously developed by the Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL) of DRDO, is designed to target conventional, nuclear, and midget submarines, further strengthening India’s undersea warfare capability. Meanwhile, the induction of 30mm NSGs will enhance the Navy and Coast Guard’s effectiveness in Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and anti-piracy missions.
For the Indian Air Force, the DAC accorded AoN for the Collaborative Long Range Target Saturation/Destruction System (CLRTS/DS) and other projects. The CLRTS/DS is capable of autonomous take-off, navigation, target detection, and payload delivery, providing the Air Force with a significant technological edge in long-range engagement capabilities.