The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to capital acquisition proposals worth about ₹2.12 lakh crore for the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. 

It is one of the largest defence acquisition clearances in recent years. According to the Ministry of Defence, around 82% of the procurement value will be sourced from Indian industry.

The approvals cover mobility, surveillance, precision strike, air defence, counter-drone warfare, logistics and maritime security.

Indian Army Approvals

The Army's list is the longest. It includes High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs) for movement in difficult terrain, Self-Propelled Tracked Gun Systems for mechanised formations, and Gun Shot Response Systems (GSRS) that help troops quickly locate hostile firing positions. Light Multi-Role Helicopters (LMRH) will handle reconnaissance, combat, search and rescue, and disaster relief missions.

For air defence, Very Short-Range Air Defence Systems (VSHORADS) will counter small, next-generation aerial threats. At the same time, Platform-Based Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) will protect armoured formations from drone attacks. 

The Army will also acquire long-range UAVs, surveillance drones, an Integrated Surveillance and Strike System, and Long-Range Kamikaze Drone Systems, reflecting the shift toward unmanned, network-enabled warfare.

Indian Navy Approvals

The Navy will receive Active Offboard Decoy Systems (AODS) to strengthen defences against modern anti-ship missiles. The DAC also cleared other major naval platforms to be designed and built in India.

Indian Air Force Approvals

For the IAF, approvals include Special Utility Helicopters for air-transport tasks, air-defence systems, weapons and Mobile X-Band Doppler Weather Radar Systems. These radars will provide high-resolution weather surveillance in forward areas, helping commanders and aircrew make better operational decisions.

What AoN Means?

AoN is an in-principle administrative approval and only the first step of the acquisition process. Detailed procurement procedures, tendering, evaluation and contract finalisation must follow before any equipment is inducted.

Why Does It Matters for Defence Aspirants?

Terms like DAC, AoN, VSHORADS and C-UAS, along with India's push for self-reliance in defence, regularly appear in NDA, CDS and AFCAT GK papers and are common topics in SSB group discussions and lecturettes.

At Major Kalshi Classes (MKC), our faculty breaks down defence current affairs like this for both written exams and SSB preparation. Follow MKC's updates to stay exam-ready.