Defence Acquisition Council clears acquisition of 97 more Tejas aircraft and 156 Prachand attack helicopters

These indigenously engineered aircraft have a total value of Rs 1.1 lakh crore.

The Indian Air Force will be receiving the Tejas Mark 1-A fighters, while the helicopters are designated for use by both the Air Force and the Army.

Furthermore, more agreements, including those for anti-ship missiles and towed gun systems, have also been given the green light, elevating the overall value to Rs 2.23 lakh crore.

A notable aspect of this development is that Rs 2.2 lakh crore, constituting 98% of the total amount, will be procured from domestic industries.

This not only reinforces India’s efforts for self-reliance ('aatmanirbharta') in the defence sector but also promises to generate employment opportunities in the long run.

This is the biggest ever order received by indigenous manufacturers in the history of Indian defence production.

At the moment an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) has been granted, paving the way for subsequent contract negotiations with manufacturers. While this process will undoubtedly take time, it is likely to be considerably shorter than if foreign manufacturers were part of the equation, the report stated.

Following the negotiation of a final price, the ultimate authorisation will be granted by the Cabinet Committee on Security.

However, the actual integration of these military assets may span a minimum of 10 years, the report said.

The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, recently greenlit a major upgrade for the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI.

With over 260 Su-30 aircraft in the Indian Air Force's arsenal, the upgrade is expected to be homegrown, with India-developed radars, avionics, and subsystems.

The initial phase is expected to encompass the upgrade of approximately 84 aircraft.

The council also sanctioned the replacement of the ageing Indian field gun with a cutting-edge towed gun system.

Towed gun systems not only offer enhanced mobility but also boast longer barrels, resulting in an extended firing range. Moreover, AoN was granted for the 155-mm Nubless projectile designed for use in artillery guns, augmenting their safety and lethality, according to the report, the NDTV report said.

To sustain the combat capabilities of Russian T-90 tanks, the Council approved the procurement and integration of automatic target trackers and advanced computers for these tanks.