India on Thursday approved the capital acquisition of a plethora of military hardware worth more than Rs 54,000 crore, including airborne early-warning and control-aircraft systems, torpedoes and engines for T-90 tanks.
In a significant move, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) also approved the guidelines for reducing the timelines at various stages of the capital acquisition process to make it “faster, more effective and efficient”, according to the defence ministry.
The decision on a “more effective” procurement process was in line with the ministry’s initiative to celebrate 2025 as the “Year of Reforms”.
The approval to the procurement proposals was accorded by the DAC chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the ministry said.
The DAC accorded acceptances of necessity (AoNs) or initial approvals to eight capital acquisition proposals amounting to more than Rs 54,000 crore, it said.
For the Indian Air Force (IAF), an approval for the procurement of Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Aircraft Systems was accorded by the DAC, the ministry said.
AEW&C systems are capability enhancers, which can change the complete spectrum of warfare and exponentially increase the combat potential of various weapon systems.
The ministry said the DAC also cleared a proposal to procure 1,350-HP engines to upgrade the T-90 battle tanks.
This will enhance the battlefield mobility of these tanks, especially in high-altitude areas, by increasing the power to weight ratio, it said in a statement.
“For the Indian Army, AoN for procurement of 1,350 HP Engine was accorded to upgrade the present 1,000 HP Engine for the T-90 tanks,” the ministry said.
The DAC also cleared another proposal for the procurement of the Varunastra torpedo for the Indian Navy.
“For the Indian Navy, AoN for procurement of Varunastra torpedoes (combat) was accorded by DAC,” the defence ministry said.
The Varunastra torpedo is an indigenously-developed ship-launched anti-submarine torpedo developed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory.
The induction of additional quantities of this torpedo would enhance the Navy’s capability against adversaries’ submarine threats, the ministry said.
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