The defence acquisition council (DAC) on Monday approved military purchases worth ₹ 2.12 lakh crore to bolster the military’s combat readiness, covering additional K9 Vajra-T artillery guns, high-mobility vehicles, helicopters, air defence systems and a range of unmanned platforms including kamikaze drones.
It underscored the role of the equipment in enhancing the operational capabilities of the armed forces. “The (K9) self-propelled tracked gun system will provide mobility and firepower to mechanised formations. The high-mobility vehicles will enhance operational capabilities, logistics support and mobility in challenging terrains. The DAC, chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh, also granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for special utility helicopters to meet the Indian Air Force’s key air transport requirements, light multi-role helicopters (LMRH) for both the army and IAF, a counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) to enhance tank survivability, and an active off-board decoy system for the navy. The LMRH will be used by both services for “reconnaissance and surveillance, combat, search and rescue of troops, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Around 82% of the hardware will be sourced from domestic industry, the defence ministry said.
The VSHORADS (very short-range air defence system) will help the army engage new-generation small aerial threats,” it said in a statement. “The active off-board decoy system will enhance the credibility of anti-missile defence, especially against modern anti-ship missiles of adversaries,” the defence ministry said.
Boosting the defence manufacturing sector is a top government priority. India’s annual defence production hit a record ₹ 1.78 lakh crore in the financial year 2025-26, up 15.6% from ₹ 1.54 lakh crore in the previous fiscal. This marked a 110% increase from FY 2020-21, when defence production stood at ₹ 84,643 crore, according to defence ministry data. The government aims to achieve defence manufacturing worth ₹ 3 lakh crore by 2029-30. It has also set a target of achieving ₹ 50,000 crore in defence exports during the same period.
