Country’s security will become stronger: DAC approves defense procurement worth Rs 52,000 crore

New Delhi, 3 July. The Defense Ministry has taken a big step towards making the country’s armed forces more modern and powerful. Approval in principle (AON) to capital defense procurement projects worth about Rs 52,000 crore was granted under the chairmanship of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday.

The purpose of these proposals, approved in the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting, is to strengthen the combat capability, surveillance system, air defense and preparedness of the three armies to meet the challenges of the future battlefield. DAC has approved the procurement of several critical systems for the Indian Army. These include anti-drone electronic warfare system ‘Akash Tarang’, man portable anti-tank guided missile system, medium range surface-to-air missile system, extremely short range air defense system, active protection system for tanks and jet based Kamikaze drone system.

The ‘Akash Tarang’ system will provide protection to forward army deployments and important military bases from enemy drone attacks. This system is capable of detecting, disrupting and disabling drones. At the same time, anti-tank missiles will increase the strength of infantry. The Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile system will make the Army’s infantry troops more effective against enemy tanks and armored vehicles. This will significantly increase the firepower of soldiers on the front. Medium Range Air Defense System and Ultra Short Range Air Defense System will play an important role in intercepting enemy fighter planes, helicopters, drones and other air threats.

Equipped with multi-spectral sensors, the new system will be able to function effectively despite electronic interference. The active protection system will be able to destroy missiles and rockets coming towards the tanks midway. This will increase the tanks’ ability to remain safe in the battlefield. At the same time, the new generation jet based Kamikaze drones will be capable of accurately attacking important enemy targets. These can play an important role in future wars due to their greater speed, better electronic warfare capabilities, greater firepower and lower cost.

Approval has been given to set up a land based test facility for Multi-Effect Sea Mine, Naval Ship Operated Unmanned Aerial System and Electric Propulsion System for the Indian Navy. The multiple-effect sea mine will help limit the free movement of enemy warships and naval operations.

This will further strengthen the security of maritime areas. The new unmanned aerial system equipped with advanced sensors will help the Navy conduct long range surveillance at sea, detect suspicious activities and gather information in real time. The test facility to be set up for the new propulsion system will play an important role in the testing and development of future ships and systems of the Navy.

At the same time, other proposals including fixed-wing based high altitude pseudo satellite system have been approved for the Indian Air Force. This state-of-the-art system will be capable of gathering intelligence, monitoring, providing communication services and carrying out remote sensing tasks by staying at altitude for a long time. This will greatly assist the Air Force in maintaining constant surveillance in the border and strategic areas.

This approval of DAC is being considered an important step towards India’s defense modernization process and self-reliance campaign. According to the Defense Ministry, the induction of these systems will significantly increase the combat readiness, technological superiority and ability of the three armies to deal with future challenges. Along with conventional weapons, India is increasingly focusing on modern warfare such as drones, electronic warfare, smart missiles and advanced surveillance systems.