India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has granted in-principle approval for defence acquisitions valued at approximately Rs1.1trn ($11.64bn), with nearly all procurement slated to come from domestic defence suppliers.
The approvals were announced following a meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 7 September 2026.
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The latest DAC decisions span a wide range of platforms and systems for the Indian Navy, Army, and Air Force, as part of ongoing efforts to modernise India’s armed forces and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.
For the Navy, the DAC approved the procurement of Arudhra Radars and initiated the design and development of Marine Gas Turbines (MGT).
According to the Ministry of Defence, the Arudhra Radar is intended to replace existing Air Route Surveillance Radars at several naval air stations, while the MGT propulsion system is expected to bolster self-reliance by lessening dependence on imported components.
The Indian Army received approval for a suite of projects including the procurement of Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Recce Vehicles, High Mobility Vehicles (HMV), Self-Propelled Mechanical Mine Layers (MML), Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), Trawl Tanks, and Sarvatra Bridge Systems.
The ministry stated that the new CBRN Recce Vehicles will enhance the Army’s capacity to respond to CBRN contamination by detecting and marking affected zones.
The HMVs and MMLs are aimed at improving operational mobility and mine-laying capabilities in challenging environments, while the ALHs are to be deployed for missions across diverse terrains by both Army and Air Force units.
For the Air Force, the approved proposals include measures to enhance the operational capabilities of its fighter aircraft, transport fleets, and helicopters.
The Council also authorised procurement of a Ground-Based Multi-Purpose Jammer (GBMPJ) to bolster electronic warfare capabilities, and the installation of the Defence Forces Secure Access Card (DEFSAC) system to replace existing physical identity methods with an interoperable smart card using radio frequency identification.
According to the MoD, around 98% of the total value of approved procurements will be sourced from Indian companies, aligning with the government’s drive to increase domestic defence manufacturing.
The announcement follows a July decision in which the DAC approved Rs520bn in acquisitions, including Multi Influence Ground Mines, Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Systems, and a Land Based Testing Facility for electric propulsion systems for the Navy.
