Defence Ministry approves procurement proposals worth nearly ₹8,800 cr

According to a statement released by the Defence Ministry, the move was made in order to strengthen the Armed Forces by relying on indigenous capability to take forward the initiative on ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in a meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded the approval for capital acquisitions of various platforms and equipment required by the Indian Armed Forces. Proposals for an approximate cost of ₹8,722.38 crore were approved.

With Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) having successfully developed Basic Trainer Aircraft (HTT-40) Prototypes and certification process underway, the DAC approved procurement of 106 Basic Trainer Aircraft from HAL to address the basic training requirements of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Post Certification 70 Basic Trainer Aircraft will be initially procured from HAL and balance 36 after operationalisation of HTT-40 fleet in IAF.

To improve the fire power of Indian Navy, the DAC approved procurement of an upgraded version of Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM) which is fitted as the main gun on board Navy and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) warships from Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). The upgraded version of SRGM has enhanced capability to perform against fast manoeuvring targets like missiles and Fast Attack Crafts and increase the maximum engagement range.

In view of the availability of requisite capability for indigenous development of the ammunition, both in terms of ‘Manufacturing’ and ‘Technology’, the DAC approved procurement of 125 mm APFSDS (Armour Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot) ammunition for Indian Army as a ‘Design and Development Case’. The ammunition being procured will have a 70 per cent indigenous content.

Last week, the Indian govt announced curbs on the import of 101 weapons and military platforms. These platforms included light combat helicopters, transport aircraft, conventional submarines and cruise missiles by 2024. The move is aimed at safeguarding the domestic manufacturers. As a result, India’s defence stocks surged substantially on Monday.