DAC clears proposals worth ₹70,500 crore including several design and development cases

Proposals include design and development of a marine diesel engine

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chairs a high-level meeting. | Photo Credit: ANI

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals worth ₹70,500 crore. Some of the projects are long-gestation projects involving indigenous design and development including the development of marine diesel engine.

The AoN has been accorded for capital acquisitions under ‘Buy Indian-IDDM’ (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured), the Defence Ministry said. “Out of the total proposals, Indian Navy proposals constitute more than ₹56,000 crore, which largely includes indigenous BrahMos cruise missiles, Shakti Electronic Warfare (EW) systems, Utility Helicopters-Maritime among others,” it said in a statement. An AoN is the beginning of the long winding procurement process.

Other proposals include a Long Range Stand-Off Weapon (LRSOW) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to be designed and developed indigenously and integrated on SU-30 MKI fighters and the indigenous 155mm/52-Calibre Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) along with High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs) and Gun Towing Vehicles (GTVs) for the Army.

Accordance of AoN for medium-speed marine diesel engine under Make-I category of procurement procedure is a significant step as, for the first time, India is venturing into the development and manufacturing of such engines indigenously to achieve self-reliance and leverage the capabilities of the industries towards the goal of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, the Ministry said.

Navy Chief Adm. R. Hari Kumar had said earlier this week that the project for development of marine diesel engine has received sanction and is expected to be ready in four years, as reported by The Hindu earlier.

“To keep pace with the emerging technologies and counter the adversaries in the Western and Northern front, the necessity of the new weapons and its integration with the delivery platforms was felt by the government,” the statement said. To achieve the same objectives, the DAC accorded the approval to IAF’s proposal for LRSOW which will be indigenously designed, developed and integrated on SU-30 MKI.

For artillery modernisation, in addition to the ongoing Dhanush Gun System and K-9 Vajra-T Gun System, AoN for procurement of 155mm, 52-Calibre ATAGS along with HMVs and GTVs for the Indian Army was accorded by the DAC. It also accorded AoN for procurement of Advance Light Helicopters (ALH) MK-III from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Coast Guard.