New Delhi, August 5
The Defence Acquisition Council, under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Tuesday approved various proposals amounting to a total cost of about Rs 67,000 crore.
For the Indian Army, Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) was accorded for the procurement of Thermal Imager-based Driver Night Sight for BMP. This would enhance the night driving capability of BMP and provide higher mobility and operational advantage to the Mechanised Infantry, said the Ministry of Defence.
For the Indian Navy, AoN was accorded for the procurement of Compact Autonomous Surface Craft, BrahMos Fire Control System & Launchers and Upgradation of BARAK-1 Point Defence Missile System. The procurement of Compact Autonomous Surface Craft will provide the capability to the Indian Navy for detection, classification and neutralisation of threats in anti-submarine warfare missions.
For the Indian Air Force, AoN for procurement of Mountain Radars and Upgradation of SAKSHAM/SPYDER Weapon System was accorded. The procurement of mountain radars will enhance the air surveillance capability along and across the borders in the mountainous region. The upgradation of the SAKSHAM/SPYDER System for integration with the Integrated Air Command and Control System will enhance the Air Defence capability, the ministry further said.
AoN was also accorded for the procurement of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) for the three Services. The proposed MALE RPAs can carry multiple payloads & weapons and operate at longer ranges for long endurance missions. They will significantly enhance the round-the-clock surveillance and combat capability of the Armed Forces.
In addition, DAC has also accorded AoN for the sustenance of C-17 and C-130J fleets and a comprehensive annual maintenance contract of the S-400 Long Range Air Defence Missile System.
— ANI
Reader Comments
67,000 crore is a huge amount! While defense is important, I hope the government also allocates funds for education and healthcare. Can't we find a balance between security and social development?
The BrahMos upgrades are game-changers! Our navy needs this edge in the Indian Ocean region. But I'm curious - how much of this equipment will be made in India under Make in India? We shouldn't just be importing everything.
As someone married to an army officer, I can say the night vision equipment for BMPs is long overdue. Our soldiers deserve the best gear, especially when posted in high-altitude areas. Jai Hind!
Good steps, but what about maintenance? We've seen expensive equipment lying unused due to poor maintenance contracts. The S-400 maintenance deal mentioned here better have strict performance clauses!
The autonomous surface crafts for anti-submarine warfare are interesting! With China increasing its submarine presence, this could be crucial. But hope our scientists are also working on indigenous solutions parallelly.
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