Proposals cleared for multiple systems and guns for Indian Army, Indian Air Force and The Indian Coast Guards
The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for various proposals worth ~₹2.38 trillion on March 27, 2026.
The proposals were cleared for multiple surveillance systems, radars, ammunitions, SAMs and patrol vehicles.
For the Indian Army, council has approved:
Air Defence Tracked System – To provide real time Air Defence Control and Reporting capability
High Capacity Radio Relay – To provide reliable and fail proof communication
Dhanush Gun System – To enhance the artillery’s capabilities to engage targets at longer ranges in all terrains with enhanced lethality and accuracy
The Runway Independent Aerial Surveillance System – To provide surveillance capabilities to the Army units
Armoured Piercing Tank Ammunition – To enhance the lethality of Anti-Tank ammunition
The Indian Air Force will receive:
– Medium Transport Aircraft
– S-400 Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile System
– Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft
– Overhaul of Su-30 Aero engine Aggregates, under this approval by DAC.
The induction of Medium Transport Aircraft will be replacing the transport fleet of AN32 and IL76, meeting the strategic, tactical and operational airlift requirements of the Services.
The focus, however, lies on Remotely Piloted Strike Aircraft, as India’s UAS and drone ecosystem is developing at a faster pace with multiple investments, and the companies which are expanding at scale. These remote strike aircraft will enable undertaking offensive counter and coordinated air operations and provide stealth intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activities. It will be exciting to see how Indian manufacturers tackle supply-chain issues, manufacture components on large scale and meet future demands.
The DAC proposal also granted the Indian Coast Guards with heavy duty air cushion vehicles. These vehicles will be used for multi-purpose maritime coastal operational roles, including high-speed coastal patrolling, reconnaissance, search and rescue operations, rendering assistance to ships and carrying personnel and stores including logistics.
