Defence ministry clears purchases worth `1.1 lakh cr Forces to get advanced choppers, radars; Su-30MKI fighter jets to get major upgrade

THE defence ministry on Monday cleared military hardware purchases worth `1.1 lakh crore for the Army, Navy and Air Force. Approximately 98% of the procurement by value will come from Indian industry. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gave the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), or inprinciple administrative approvals, for the defence acquisitions. For the Air Force, the DAC cleared “various proposals to enhance the war-fighting capability of fighters, transports and helicopters”. Sources said these include the overhaul of 40 Su-30MKIs by Hindustan Aeronautics, twice the number the PSU had earlier proposed. IAF operates around 260 Su-30MKIs, its mainstay fighter fleet. The DAC had earlier cleared the overhaul of Su-30 aero-engine aggregates

The approval seeks to address a gap in the IAF’s long-range beyond-visual-range capability, with Operation Sindoor underscoring the requirement. The overhaul covers modifications to allow the Sukhois to fire the RVV-BD, the export version of Russia’s R-37M missile. Weighing 510 kg and carrying a 60-kg warhead, the missile has a range of 200 km and is designed to engage AWACS aircraft, aerial refuellers and other high-value airborne assets. For the Navy, the DAC cleared the design, development and subsequent procurement of a marine gas turbine in the 24-28 MW class, with the ministry saying the propulsion system “will reduce dependency on foreign vendors”. India currently imports turbines for several frontline destroyers and frigates. The Navy will also get Arudhra radars, which “will replace the existing Air Route Surveillance Radars at various Naval Air Stations”. Developed by the DRDO, Arudhra is a four-dimensional active phased-array radar with an instrumented range of 400 km whichis able to detect a two-square-metre target at up to 300 km. The Army stands to get more HAL-built advanced light helicopters, or Dhruv, to “execute complex missions across all terrains and operational situations”. A `8,073 crore deal for 34 ALH Mk-III was signed with HAL in March 2024.

DAC accorded Acceptance of Necessity to various acquisition proposals at an estimated cost of `1,10,000 cr Defence ministry CBRN recce vehicles The Army is set to get Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear recce vehicles, high mobility vehicles, self-propelled mechanical mine layers, advanced light helicopters, and trawl tanks Acceptance of Necessity AoN is the first step in defence acquisition. The process involves tech evaluation, trials as well as negotiations. Big acquisitions will require more govt approvals