In a substantial move aimed at strengthening self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector, India has granted preliminary approval for the procurement of military hardware valued at ₹45,000 crore. This acquisition includes new fighter planes, missiles, light armoured multipurpose vehicles, integrated surveillance and targeting systems, and survey ships to modernize the nation’s armed forces.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), responsible for initiating purchases based on the armed forces’ projected needs, greenlit these acquisition proposals under two vital categories for indigenization outlined in the Defence Acquisition Procedure: Buy (Indian-IDDM) and Buy (Indian). The “IDDM” stands for indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured.
This significant acquisition marks a notable boost to the domestic defence industry, as the weapons and systems will be procured from Indian vendors. India has allocated a portion of its defence budget for the purchase of locally manufactured military hardware, with approximately ₹1 lakh crore set aside for domestic procurement in this year’s budget. This reflects a continuous increase compared to previous years.
Among the approved proposals, the DAC has sanctioned the purchase of 12 Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets and associated equipment worth ₹11,000 crore from the state-run aircraft manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). These fighters will replace the 12 Su-30 MKIs lost in accidents. India had originally contracted 272 Su-30-MKIs from Russia, with 222 aircraft being license-built by HAL.
Additionally, the council has approved the acquisition of Dhruvastra short-range air-to-surface missiles for advanced light helicopters (Mk-IV) and integrated surveillance and targeting systems to cater to the mechanized forces’ requirements. Next-generation survey vessels and avionics upgrades for Dornier aircraft have also received the green light.
The light armoured multipurpose vehicles and integrated surveillance and targeting systems are expected to enhance the protection, mobility, attack capability, and survivability of the mechanized forces, according to the defence ministry.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized the need to increase the minimum indigenous content in indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured (IDDM) projects, advocating for a higher threshold of 60-65% indigenous content.
India’s pursuit of self-reliance in defence has seen several measures in recent years, including the creation of a dedicated budget for purchasing locally made military hardware, phased import bans, increased foreign direct investment, and improvements in the ease of doing business. India’s focus on indigenization aims to bolster its defence capabilities while boosting the domestic defence industry.
India’s commitment to indigenization is evident in the publication of four positive indigenization lists, which impose a phased import ban on various types of weapons and platforms, contributing to the country’s goal of achieving a ₹1,75,000-crore turnover in defence manufacturing by 2024-25.
Sources By Agencies
