Defence acquisition proposals worth Rs 52,000 cr cleared to boost combat readiness

📌 Summary:

• Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, cleared acquisition proposals worth about Rs 52,000 crore for the Armed Forces
• Clearances were granted as 'Acceptance of Necessity' (AoN) — the first step in the defence procurement process; an AoN does not always lead to a final order
• Key systems approved: 'Akash Tarang' Anti-UAV Electronic Warfare System (Army), Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM), Russian-origin Verba Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS), Jet-Based Kamikaze Drones, Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (MPATGM) and Active Protection Systems for tanks
• For the Navy: Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial System (NSUAS), Multi-Influence Ground Mine (MIGM) and a Land-Based Testing Facility (LBTF) for electric propulsion
• For the IAF: Fixed-Wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (FW-HAPS) for persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), telecommunication and remote sensing
• Meeting held after three months; the previous DAC (March 2026) had cleared five additional S-400 Long Range SAM systems from Russia
• The acquisitions reflect the military's move toward modern technology and future multi-domain operations

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — defence indigenisation, the procurement process (DAC/AoN), and emerging military technologies (anti-drone EW, HAPS, kamikaze drones)

📝 Prelims Facts:

• DAC grants Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) — the first step in capital procurement; chaired by the Defence Minister
• Akash Tarang = anti-UAV electronic warfare system; VSHORADS = Very Short Range Air Defence System
• FW-HAPS performs high-altitude ISR, telecom and remote-sensing roles
• March 2026 DAC had cleared five more S-400 systems

🔑 Key Term: Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) — the DAC's initial approval recognising the need for a capital acquisition, preceding the tendering and contract stages.