The Defence Accounts Department (DAD) will celebrate its 279th Annual Day on October 1, 2026, in New Delhi, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh scheduled to attend the event at Dr D.S. Kothari Auditorium, DRDO Bhawan.
On the occasion, the Defence Minister will launch several Information Technology initiatives of the Defence Accounts Department aimed at strengthening financial management and digital systems within the Ministry of Defence.
These include the integration of the Indian Army Financial Information System (IAFIS) with the Department’s SAKSHAM platform, the revamped National Compilation System (NCS) for the Ministry of Defence, and the Payment Routing and Integrated System Management (PRISM) platform.
The PRISM platform is aimed at introducing Treasury-Single Account Payments in the Ministry of Defence.
Publications to be released
Rajnath Singh will also release several publications during the celebrations.
These include the Comprehensive Statistical Handbook on Defence Expenditure (COSHE) 2026, Raksha Lekha Bharati, the Department’s in-house Hindi magazine, and the Market Intelligence Report 2025-2026.
A short film on SPARSH (System for Pension Administration (Raksha)), the Defence Ministry’s flagship defence pensions system, is also scheduled to be released.
The Raksha Mantri Awards for Excellence 2026 will also be conferred on officers and staff of the Department in recognition of their performance and contribution towards implementing key initiatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Accounts Department.
279 years of service
The Defence Accounts Department traces its origins to the appointment of the Military Pay Master in 1747.
Over the years, the Department has evolved in line with the changing requirements of the Defence Forces and the Ministry of Defence.
DAD provides services in areas including internal audit, accounting, financial advice and defence pensions management.
The 279th Annual Day celebrations will highlight the Department’s continuing role in supporting the financial administration of the Defence Forces and its ongoing adoption of technology-driven systems.
-PIB
