NEW DELHI: In a major step to boost the capabilities of the Armed Forces and Indian Coast Guard (ICG), the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Friday cleared capital acquisition proposals worth Rs 84,560 crore.The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said, “Proposals include new generation-anti-tank mines, Air Defence Tactical Control Radar, Heavy Weight Torpedoes,-Medium Range Maritime Reconnaissance & Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft, Flight Refueller Aircraft & Software Defined Radios.”The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The approvals accorded lay special emphasis on procurement of various equipment from Indian vendors.”The DAC has accorded AoN under Buy-{Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured (IDDM)} category-for procurement of a new generation of anti-tank mines having seismic sensor-and provision of remote deactivation with additional safety features,” the MoD said.”In order to enhance the operational efficiency and domination in the-Tactical Battle Area for engaging targets that are Beyond Visual Line of-Sight by the Mechanised Forces, the AoN under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category has-been accorded for procurement of Canister Launched Anti-Armour Loiter-Munition System,” it added.Further, to strengthen the Air Defence Systems, especially the capabilities-to detect slow, small and low-flying targets as well as surveillance,-detection & tracking of different targets, the AoN has been accorded for-procurement of Air Defence Tactical Control Radar under Buy (Indian-IDDM)-category.The other important AoNs include Medium Range Maritime Reconnaissance, Active Towed Array Sonar and Heavy Weight Torpedos for the Kalvari class-Submarines.The procurement of Medium Range Maritime Reconnaissance and Multi-Mission-Maritime Aircraft, through Buy and Make category, will strengthen the-surveillance and interdiction capabilities of the Navy and Coast Guard over the country’s vast maritime area.Further, to keep the Indian Naval Ships one step ahead of the threats posed-by the adversaries, procurement of Active Towed Array Sonar will add “capabilities to operate at low frequencies and various depths for long-range detections of adversary submarines.” The AoN has also been accorded procurement of Heavy Weight Torpedoes for enhancing the attacking capabilities of Kalvari Class submarines.INS Vagir, the fifth submarine of the six under Project 75 Kalvari class, has been commissioned. These submarines are being built in India by the Mazagon-Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, under collaboration with Naval-Group, France. Vagsheer, the sixth and last of the class, was launched in April 2022 and is expected to be commissioned this year.The AoN for sustainment support through Follow On Support (FOS) and Repair-Replenishment support through Follow On Supply Support (FOSS) for 24 MH60R-aircraft under Foreign Military Sale route with the US Government has also-been accorded.In the case for the Indian Air Force, the DAC accorded AoN for procurement-of Flight Refueller Aircraft for enhancing the operational capabilities and-reach.The AoN under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category for procurement of Software Defined-Radios for the ICG has also been granted.As per the MoD, “This will fulfill the requirement of the ICG for having a-high-speed communication with secure networking capability for seamless-information exchange between the ICG and the Indian Navy units.”As per procedure, it is the DAC that grants the Acceptance of Necessity-(AoN) which sets the procedure for acquisition. The Defence Acquisition-Council is the highest decision-making body on issues related to policy and-capital procurement and is chaired by the Defence Minister.
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