Article Posted on : - Feb 24, 2021

A file photo.

NEW DELHI (PTI): The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Tuesday approved buying of defence equipment worth Rs 13,700 crore for the three armed forces, including 118 Arjun Mk-1A tanks for the Army.

The DAC also accorded three Acceptance of Necessities (AoNs) for an overall cost of Rs 13,700 crore, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

All these AoNs are in the highest priority category of defence acquisition --- 'Buy [Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)].

The DAC, headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is the highest decision-making body for defence procurement.

"The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved capital acquisition proposals of various weapons/ platforms/ equipment/ systems required by the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, in New Delhi on February 23, 2021," the statement added.

Sources said of the 13,700 crore, Rs 8,300 crore will be for procuring 118 Arjun (Mk-1A).

Earlier this month Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over to the Army the home-made Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) in Chennai. The state-of-the-art tank, has been indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)'s Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment

The tank is infused with 71 new features and would ensure effortless mobility in all terrains, besides precise target engagement during day and night.

All these acquisition proposals approved by the DAC will be indigenously designed, developed and manufactured, the statement added.

These will include inter-alia platforms and systems designed and developed by DRDO.

The DAC also approved that all capital acquisition contracts (delegated and non-delegated) other than D&D (design and development) cases shall be concluded in two years.

The ministry, in consultation with the services and all stakeholders, will come up with a detailed plan of action for achieving the same, it added.