In a major push to the modernisation programme of India's armed forces, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) of the defence ministry, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Friday accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to defence acquisition proposals worth ₹52,000 crore, including a range of air defence systems, anti-tank missiles, electronic warfare systems and kamikaze drones for the Indian Army.
Among the major approvals for the Indian Army are the procurement of the Anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Electronic Warfare System 'Akash Tarang', Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) Systems, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) Weapon System, Very Short Range Air Defence System (V-SHORADS), Active Protection Systems (APS) for tanks and Jet-Based Kamikaze Drone Systems, a statement from the defence ministry read.
Akash Tarang will offer effective protection against hostile drones for Army formations, while the MPATGM will boost the infantry's capability to counter enemy mechanised forces.
The MRSAM system is designed to provide medium-range air defence against a variety of stand-off aerial threats, while the V-SHORADS, equipped with multi-spectral sensing, are expected to improve resilience against countermeasures and strengthen the Army's air defence capability.
The Active Protection System will improve the survivability of tanks by enhancing their defensive capability, while the Jet-Based Kamikaze Drone System is expected to provide improved electronic warfare capability with greater lethality and survivability in a cost-effective manner.
For the Indian Navy, the DAC approved the procurement of Multi Influence Ground Mines (MIGM), Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Systems (NSUAS) and the establishment of a Land-Based Testing Facility (LBTF) for electric propulsion systems.
According to the defence ministry, the MIGM will help deny freedom of manoeuvre to adversaries, while the NSUAS, equipped with advanced sensors, will enhance the Navy's situational awareness. The proposed testing facility will support the testing of motors and associated propulsion systems for naval platforms.
For the Indian Air Force, the DAC approved the procurement of Fixed-Wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (FW-HAPS), which are intended to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), telecommunication and remote sensing capabilities, besides clearing other proposals, the defence ministry release stated.
