20 March, 2025 (PIB): The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), under the chairmanship of Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoNs) to eight capital acquisition proposals amounting to over Rs 54,000 crore.
For the Indian Army, AoN for the procurement of a 1350 HP engine was accorded to upgrade the present 1000 HP engine for the T-90 tanks. This will enhance the battlefield mobility of these tanks, especially in high-altitude areas, by increasing the power-to-weight ratio.
For the Indian Navy, AoN for the procurement of Varunastra Torpedoes (Combat) was accorded by DAC. The Varunastra Torpedo is an indigenously developed ship-launched anti-submarine torpedo developed by the Naval Science & Technological Laboratory. The induction of additional quantities of this torpedo would enhance the Navy’s capability against adversaries’ submarine threats.
For the Indian Air Force, AoN for the procurement of Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) Aircraft Systems was accorded by DAC. AEW&C systems are capability enhancers that can change the complete spectrum of warfare and exponentially increase the combat potential of every other weapon system.
As part of celebrating 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’ in the Ministry of Defence, DAC also approved the guidelines for reducing the timelines at various stages of the Capital Acquisition Process to make it faster, more effective, and more efficient.
