Defense acquisition projects worth Rs 2.23 lakh crore were given initial approval by the government of India on Thursday, a move aimed at significantly enhancing the combat capabilities of the armed forces. The projects include the procurement of 97 Tejas light combat aircraft and 156 Prachand combat helicopters. The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, approved these projects amidst the ongoing military standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.
The defense ministry stated that 98 per cent of the total procurement will be sourced from domestic industries, aligning with the goal of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) in the defense industry. Additionally, the Indian Air Force’s proposal to upgrade its Su-30 fighter fleet by state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) was also approved.
The DAC also granted initial approval for the procurement of two types of anti-tank munitions, area denial munition (ADM) type-2 and type-3. Furthermore, the integration of automatic target tracker (ATT) and digital basaltic computer (DBC) for T-90 tanks and the acquisition of medium range anti-ship missiles (MRAShM) for the Indian Navy were cleared.
The defense ministry stated that the DAC accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of Light Combat Helicopter for the Indian Air Force and Indian Army and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A for IAF from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category. The specific numbers were not mentioned in the announcement, but it is reported that 97 Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (Mark 1A) are being procured for the IAF and 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) are being procured for the Army and the Air Force.
In February 2021, the defense ministry had already sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF. With this additional fleet, the number of indigenously-developed Tejas aircraft being procured by the IAF would go up to 180.
The DAC’s approvals for the procurement and upgradation of military equipment is aimed at enhancing the strength of the Indian Air Force, bolstering indigenous capabilities, and reducing dependability on foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). This move signals a significant shift towards self-reliance and advancement in the Indian defense industry.
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