Context :
- Total Worth: ₹1.05 lakh crore in capital acquisitions cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
- All Indigenous: All 10 proposals cleared under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category — promoting Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured platforms.
Relevance : GS 3(Internal Security , Defence ) ,GS 2(Governance)
Key Systems Cleared
Armoured Recovery Vehicles (ARVs)
- Address mobility mismatch with main battle tanks.
- Crucial for mechanised operations and battlefield support.
Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs)
- Boost to India’s air defence, especially after Operation Sindoor.
- Builds on success of Akash MR-SAM and S-400 systems.
Electronic Warfare (EW) Systems
- To jam/destroy enemy radars and communications.
- Enhances superiority of Indian UAVs and aircraft.
Common Inventory Management System (Tri-services)
- Enables cost-effective logistics and real-time availability.
- Allows inter-theatre resource balancing.
Naval and Maritime Modernisation
Procurement of:
- Moored Mines, Mine Countermeasure Vessels
- Super Rapid Gun Mounts, Submersible Autonomous Vessels
Objective: Strengthen coastal and merchant vessel defence.
Operational Context & Implications
- Comes after Operation Sindoor — India’s military retaliation for April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
- Reflects priority on air defence, supply chain agility, and technological self-reliance.
- Reinforces India’s push for Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence and readiness for multi-domain warfare.
Interlinkages with GS Topics
Governance & Policy
- Strategic decision-making bodies (DAC, CCS) and their role in national security.
- Civil-Military interface in procurement policy.
Security, Technology & Economy
- Indigenization of defence production (Atmanirbhar Bharat).
- EW Systems & UAVs as components of network-centric warfare.
- AI & unmanned platforms: part of emerging tech in India’s defence strategy.
Science & Tech
- Role of DRDO, BEL, HAL in indigenous R&D.
- Integration of AI, automation, sensor fusion in EW and missile systems.
Internal Security
- Response to terrorism (Pahalgam attack) and need for deterrent capabilities.
- Maritime security linked to blue economy and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision.
Data & Reports for Enrichment
- Sipri Report (2024): India is world’s largest arms importer, though imports dropped 11% due to domestic focus.
- DPP 2020 & DAP 2022: Emphasis on IDDM category to strengthen defence MSMEs.
- Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda Committee: Recommends institutional reforms for faster acquisition and tech evaluation.
