Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has accorded approval for capital acquisition of various platforms and equipments required by the Indian Armed Forces. The proposal approved is worth around Rs 38,900 crore.
Focused on indigenous design and development these approvals include acquisitions from Indian industry of Rs 31,130 crore.
The equipments are going to be manufactured in India involving Indian defence industry with participation of several MSMEs as prime tier vendors. The indigenous content in some of these projects is up to 80 percent of the project cost.
A large number of these projects have been made possible due to Transfer of Technology (ToT) by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to the indigenous industry.
These include Pinaka ammunitions, BMP armament upgrades and software defined radios for the Indian Army, Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile Systems and Astra Missiles for the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force (IAF). The cost of these design and development proposals is approximately Rs 20,400 crore.
Acquisition of additional missile systems will add to the fire power of three services. While acquisition of Pinaka missile systems will enable raising additional regiments over and above the ones already inducted, addition of Long Range Land Attack Missile Systems having a firing range of 1,000 km to the existing arsenal will strengthen the attack capabilities of the Navy and the Air Force.
Similarly induction of Astra Missiles having Beyond Visual Range capability will serve as a force multiplier and immensely add to the strike capability of the Navy and Air Force.
The DAC also approved the proposal for procurement of 21 MIG-29 along with upgradation of existing 59 MIG-29 aircraft and procurement of 12 Su-30 MKI aircraft. The MIG 29 procurement and upgradation from Russia is estimated to cost Rs 7,418 crore, while Su-30 MKI will be procured from Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) at an estimated cost of Rs 10,730 crore.