Article Posted on : - Sep 29, 2017

NEW DELHI (PTI): The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has accorded the 'acceptance of necessity' to the Indian Navy for procuring upgraded sonars for its destroyers and frigates, a statement said.

Nirmala Sitharaman, who chaired her first DAC meeting after taking over the reins of the defence ministry, reviewed the status of the capital acquisition schemes and directed that they be meticulously monitored and brought to maturity within stipulated timelines.

"The minister stated that the Defence Acquisition Council meetings are to be conducted once in a fortnight to enable speeding up the process of capability development of the armed forces," the statement on Wednesday said.

Procurement of sonars have to be done through the 'Buy Indian' (indigenously designed, developed and manufactured) route at a cost of Rs 200 crore. The upgraded sonars will add more teeth to the Navy's anti-submarine warfare capabilities

These sonars are designed, developed and manufactured indigenously by the DRDO and the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory, Kochi.

The DAC additionally cleared procurement of missiles for replenishing the naval inventory, the statement added.

The 'acceptance of necessity' clears the way for the tendering process to start.