Defence Acquisition Council approves procurement of indigenous equipment worth Rs 1500 crore

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday approved procurement of equipment worth over Rs 5,100 crore from indigenous sources, in a boost government's ‘Make in India’ initiative. 

These include sophisticated 'Electronic Warfare Systems' for the Army designed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured locally by the Indian industry. These systems will be used in deserts and plains and will provide comprehensive electronic support and counter measure capabilities to the field formations in both communication and other aspects of electronic warfare.

The DAC also approved prototype testing of trawl assemblies designed by DRDO for T-72 and T-90 tanks, providing an important indigenous de-mining capability to the Army.

This was the first DAC meeting of 2020 and after the constitution of Chief of the Defence Staff. The meeting was held to consider a number of new and ongoing proposals for procuring critically needed platforms and equipment for the armed forces.

The decisions taken in the meeting are also in keeping with the mandate given to the CDS and the newly-constituted Department of Military Affairs to promote the use of indigenous hardware by the Services, the government said in a press release. 

Former Army chief General Bipin Rawat was earlier this month appointed as first CDS. As CDS, Rawat heads the Department of Military Affairs as its secretary. 

The DAC also approved shortlisting of Indian Strategic Partners (SP) and the potential Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) that would collaborate with SPs to construct six conventional submarines in India, the government said. 

The programme to develop six submarines is being progressed under the 'Strategic Partnership Model', promulgated in 2017 to give a major boost to 'Make in India' in the defence sector.