Defence Ministry Approves Purchase of India-Made Military Equipment Worth ?1.05 Lakh Crore

New Delhi- The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved 10 major proposals for the purchase of military equipment worth approximately ?1.05 lakh crore, all of which will be sourced domestically.

According to a statement from the Defence Ministry, the approvals include Armoured Recovery Vehicles, Electronic Warfare Systems, Integrated Common Inventory Management System for the Tri-Services, and Surface-to-Air Missiles. These acquisitions aim to enhance mobility, strengthen air defence, improve supply chain management, and boost the operational readiness of the Armed Forces.

The Council has also cleared proposals for the acquisition of Moored Mines, Mine Counter Measure Vessels, Super Rapid Gun Mounts, and Submersible Autonomous Vessels. These assets will help safeguard naval and merchant vessels by mitigating potential threats.

To promote indigenous design and development, all approvals have been granted under the ‘Buy (Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured)’ category, the statement added.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also highlighted India's growing self-reliance in defence production, revealing that domestic defence manufacturing has reached a record ?1.46 lakh crore, while defence exports have surged to ?24,000 crore in the 2024-25 fiscal year.

“Just 10 to 11 years ago, India’s defence production stood at ?43,000 crore. Today, we have crossed ?1.46 lakh crore, with the private sector contributing over ?32,000 crore,” Singh said during his address at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Annual Summit. “Similarly, our defence exports, which were just ?600-700 crore a decade ago, have now touched a record ?24,000 crore,” he added.

Singh emphasized the importance of the Make-in-India initiative for national security and economic growth, noting that indigenous systems proved their capabilities during ‘Operation Sindoor,’ demonstrating India’s ability to breach enemy defences.

“Our weapons, systems, sub-systems, components, and defence services are now being exported to nearly 100 countries. More than 16,000 MSMEs associated with the defence sector have become a critical part of the supply chain. These enterprises are not only strengthening our journey towards self-reliance but are also providing employment to lakhs of people,” Singh said.

The Defence Minister also announced that the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project will offer the private sector an unprecedented opportunity to partner with public sector entities in executing a large-scale defence initiative, marking a significant milestone for Make-in-India in the defence sector.

With inputs from IANS