The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Tuesday accorded acceptance of necessity (AoN) for 10 capital acquisition proposals.

The proposals are for future ready combat vehicles (FRCVs) to replace ageing Soviet-origin T-92 tanks, Air Defence fire control radars, Dornier-228 aircraft, next generation fast patrol and offshore patrol vessels, which put together will amount to ₹1,44,716 crore. 

Procurement plan

For modernisation of the tank fleet, the proposal for procurement of FRCVs will be the Indian Army’s largest-ever contract in recent times in terms of value which the Ministry of Defence did not disclose after the DAC meeting. 

“The FRCV will be a futuristic Main Battle Tank with superior mobility, all terrain ability, multi-layered protections, precision a lethal fires over and real-time situational awareness,” the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement issued after the DAC meeting.

Under the Make 1 procedure of Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP), the FRCVs will be acquired in three phases, with 590 of them allocated in the first go as per an RFI issued earlier, sources said.

The overall requirement is to replace over 1700 T-92 tanks over a period of time, as they have aged, and operational usage of such platforms have become questionable since they were found to be sitting ducks during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Three AoNs have been accorded to enhance the capabilities of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) which will offer more business opportunities to the defence PSUs and private industries.

The procurement of Dornier-228 aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), next generation fast patrol vessels having high operational features in rough weather conditions and next generation offshore patrol vessels (NGOPVs) with advanced technology and enhanced long-range operations, will enhance the capability of the ICG to carry out surveillance, patrolling of maritime zone, search and rescue and disaster relief operations, stated the MoD.

Nod for vessels

The nod for vessels is in addition to the contract the MoD had signed with DPSU Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) last December for supply of six NGOVs at a cost of ₹1,614.89 crore. The MDL too got the deal for the construction of 14 fast patrol vessels (FPVs) for the ICG.

The DAC accorded AoN for procurement of air defence fire control radars, which detect and track aerial targets and allocate guns for firing, said the Ministry. The government had earlier imported 66 ADFCRs, meant to replace vintage fly-catcher radars, from Israel at a cost of ₹2,500 crore post issuing an RFP in 2013. 

“Of the total cost of AoNs, 99 per cent is from indigenous sources under Buy (Indian) and Buy (lndian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) categories,” the Ministry stated without giving value of each of the ten projects cleared by the DAC.

The proposal has also been approved for Forward Repair Team (Tracked) which has suitable cross-country mobility for carrying out in-situ repair during mechanised operations. This equipment is designed and developed by the defence PSU Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd and is authorised for both mechanised Infantry Battalion and Armoured Regiment, said the Ministry.

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