Defence Acquisition Council Clears ₹52,000 Crore Purchases

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted Acceptance of Necessity for capital acquisition proposals worth about ₹52,000 crore on 3 July 2026. The DAC is the highest decision-making body of the Ministry of Defence for capital procurement and is chaired by the Defence Minister.

Defence Acquisition Council

The Defence Acquisition Council was set up after the Kargil War to speed up defence procurement and reduce delays in acquisition. It deals with capital purchases such as weapons, platforms, sensors, and support systems for the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.

Acceptance of Necessity and Capital Acquisition

Acceptance of Necessity, or AoN, is the first formal approval in the defence procurement process under the Defence Acquisition Procedure. It permits the services to begin the next stages of tendering, technical evaluation, and contract finalisation for capital acquisition proposals.

Systems Approved for the Indian Army

The Indian Army received approval for AKASH TARANG anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle electronic warfare systems, Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile systems, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile weapon systems, Very Short Range Air Defence System units, Active Protection Systems for tanks, and jet-based kamikaze drone systems. These systems belong to categories used for air defence, anti-armour warfare, and unmanned strike operations.

Systems Approved for the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force

The Indian Navy received approval for Multi Influence Ground Mines, Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Systems, and a Land Based Testing Facility for electric propulsion systems. The Indian Air Force received approval for Fixed-Wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellites and related systems for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, telecommunications, and remote sensing.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Defence Acquisition Council functions under the Ministry of Defence in India.
• Acceptance of Necessity is used in the defence procurement process before contract award.
• High Altitude Pseudo Satellites operate in the stratosphere and are used for persistent surveillance roles.
• Multi Influence Ground Mines are naval mines designed to respond to more than one trigger mechanism.

Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence

The approved proposals include battlefield technologies such as drones, electronic warfare systems, and surveillance platforms. The procurement package is linked with indigenous and next-generation defence manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat framework.

Military Leadership

The DAC meeting was the first under Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani, Navy Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, and Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth. The Chief of Defence Staff is the senior-most military officer in India and coordinates tri-service matters.