Rs 84,560 Crores Defence Push, More Mid-air Re-fuellers, Heavy Torpedoes Approved
NEW DELHI, Feb 16: Lending further momentum to the ongoing self-reliance drive in the defence manufacturing sector, the Centre on Friday approved several key proposals worth Rs.84,560 crore to strengthen the military’s operational readiness, including the purchase of more mid-air re-fuellers, medium-range maritime reconnaissance and multi-mission aircraft, heavy weight-torpedoes and new generation anti-tank mines.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by the defence minister Rajnath Singh, accorded its Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to the capital acquisition projects, paving the way for inducting a range of capabilities that will help the three services and the coast guard address challenges in their vast domains.
The proposals include new anti-tank mines, heavy-weight torpedoes, multi-mission maritime aircraft, and air defence tactical control radars. The final approval is expected to come from the Cabinet Committee and will significantly boost the strength of India’s Armed Forces and the Indian Coast Guard. In most of the proposals cleared, the emphasis is on procuring equipment from Indian vendors keeping in line with the government’s push for ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India).
The approved proposals encompass a diverse range of state-of-the-art defence technologies, including the procurement of a new generation of Anti-tank mines equipped with seismic sensors and remote deactivation features.
“In the true spirit of ‘Aatmanirbharta’, the approvals accorded today lay special emphasis on the procurement of various equipment from Indian vendors,” the defence ministry said in a statement.
The clearance for the purchase of six mid-air re-fuellers to extend the reach of the Indian Air Force’s fighter jets is by far the most notable development considering it comes against the backdrop of previous failed attempts to buy new tankers, officials said.
For bolstering the capabilities of the Mechanised Forces, the council has approved the proposal for the procurement of a Canister Launched Anti-Armour Loiter Munition System. This system is designed to engage targets that are beyond the visual line of sight in the tactical battle area. India’s Air Defence Systems will be strengthened with the new tactical control radars capable of detecting slow, small, and low-flying targets.
Medium Range Maritime Reconnaissance and Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft will be procured to strengthen the surveillance and interdiction capabilities of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard. To identify and neutralize targets underwater, Active Towed Array Sonar and heavy-weight torpedoes are expected to be brought in. These acquisitions will enhance the detection and attacking capabilities of naval assets, particularly the Kalvari Class submarines.
The council has also given the green light for the procurement of Flight Re-fueller Aircraft to augment the operational capabilities and reach of the Indian Air Force. The Indian Coast Guard is also expected to get new software-defined radios.
Acknowledging the role of start-ups and MSMEs in fostering innovation, the council has introduced amendments to the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020. These changes, focusing on benchmarking, cost computation, payment schedules, and procurement quantity, aim to create a favourable environment for the defence start-up ecosystem. The move aligns with the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and Technology Development Fund (TDF) schemes, reflecting the government’s commitment to ‘Ease of Doing Business’ in the defence sector.
The refuellers were cleared under the ‘Buy (Global)’ acquisition category which refers to the outright purchase of equipment from foreign or Indian vendors.
IAF operates a fleet of six Russian-origin Ilyushin-78 tankers that are plagued by maintenance problems and the force urgently needs at least six more refuellers.
The go-ahead for 15 new C-295 aircraft in a maritime configuration for the navy and coast guard is equally critical, the officials said.
IAF received the delivery of its first C-295 transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space in September 2023. The aircraft was the first of the 56 such planes ordered by IAF under a Rs.21,935 crore project to modernise its transport fleet. The European plane maker will deliver 16 planes in flyaway condition, while the rest will be assembled in India at a Tata facility in Gujarat’s Vadodara.
DAC has accorded AoN, under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, for new generation anti-tank mines “with seismic sensor and provision of remote deactivation with additional safety features,” the statement said. IDDM stands for indigenously designed, developed and manufactured.
Under India’s defence procurement rules, the council’s AoN is the first step towards buying military hardware. The Indian-IDDM category is the most important category of acquisition for indigenisation under the defence procurement policy.
The military hardware cleared by the council includes air defence tactical control radars to detect slow, small and low-flying targets as well as surveillance, detection and tracking of other targets; active towed array sonar with capabilities to operate at low frequencies and various depths for long range detection of enemy submarines; and heavy-weight torpedoes for enhancing the capabilities of Kalvari class submarines.
India has sharpened its focus on the defence manufacturing sector during the last five to six years and has taken several measures to achieve self-reliance. These include banning the import of a range of weapons, systems and parts, creating a separate budget for buying locally made military hardware, increasing foreign direct investment from 49% to 74% and improving ease of doing business.
Setting aside a budget for India-made weapons and systems is one of the key measures to boost self-reliance. Around Rs.1 lakh crore was earmarked for domestic procurement in the defence budget for 2023-24, compared to Rs.84,598 crore, Rs.70,221 crore and Rs.51,000 crore in the three previous years.
(Manas Dasgupta)
