The Ministry of Defence has set up a special committee to update and improve the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020. This step is part of the government’s efforts to make defence buying faster, clearer, and more in line with today’s needs and policies, especially focusing on self-reliance and modern technology.
Defence Ministry Forms Committee to Overhaul Defence Acquisition Procedure
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has taken an initiative to form a new committee in order to revise and update the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020.
The main aim of this move is to align the DAP with the government’s latest policies and goals, especially in the area of self-reliance and advanced technology.
The committee, led by the Director General (Acquisition), includes senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, as well as representatives from the defence industry and academic institutions.
Their main task is to simplify and improve the current acquisition process, remove unclear language, and look at how new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be included in defence planning.
This review comes as the government declares 2025 as the “Year of Reforms” for the defence sector.
Former IAS officer Apurva Chandra, who earlier served as Director General (Acquisition), has been appointed as the Principal Advisor to this committee.
The committee has already begun its work and is seeking feedback and suggestions from all the holders of stake which includes defence experts, industry players, and the public.
These suggestions are expected to be submitted by July 5. The main focus is to ensure that India’s armed forces get the equipment and technologies they need on time, to maintain national security.
The committee is also expected to come up with ideas to strengthen India’s goal of Atma Nirbharta (self-reliance) by encouraging the use of locally designed and developed defence systems.
Key areas of discussion will include:
Boosting defence manufacturing in India through public-private partnerships and technology transfers.
Attracting foreign companies by aligning foreign direct investment (FDI) policies.
Establishing India as a hub for defence manufacturing, as well as maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO).
In addition, the panel will focus on encouraging innovation and design, especially from Indian startups and private companies, to enhance indigenous technology in the defense sector.
This move is a part of the government’s broader vision which is to modernise the armed forces and make India a global leader in defence production.
