India Approves 10 Military Projects Worth Over $17 Billion
India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in a meeting on 3 September, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for 10 capital acquisition proposals worth ₹1,44,716 crore ($17.23 billion). The Ministry of Defence subsequently revealed six of the ten proposals approved in the meeting. AoN by DAC is the initial step in the long-drawn defence procurement process. The approval includes FRCV, AD-FCR, FRP, Dornier-228, NGFPV, NGOPV, and Project-17 Bravo (P-17B). Let’s exine some of the greenlit proposals.
Indian Army
FRCV
The proposal which makes up the majority of the expenditure is the Future Ready Combat Vehicle, which was accorded AoN at an approximate cost of 50,000 crores ($6 billion) at the meeting. The Indian Army issued a Request For Information (RFI) in May 2021 to procure 1,770 Future Ready Combat Vehicle in a phased manner. Previously the RFI was open to 12 global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) under the Strategic Partnership (SP) model where the OEM would partner with an Indian manufacturer to pitch their proposal for FRCV. The project was amended to MAKE-I in 2023 when Acceptance in Principle (AiP) was accorded, which requires the manufacturer to hold intellectual property rights (IPR) for the design as well as offer over 50% indigenous content. The procurement of 1,770 FRCV plans to replace over 2,000 T-72 tanks in service starting in 2030.
Air Defence FCR
AoN was accorded for an unknown number of Air Defence Fire Control Radars developed by DRDO’s LRDE. The system combines an X-band active array antenna, Ka-Band tracking radar, and Electro-Optical (EO) sensors.
Forward Repair Team (Tracked)
The proposal has also been approved for the Forward Repair Team (Tracked) which has suitable cross-country mobility for carrying out in-situ repair during mechanised operations. This equipment is designed & developed by Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited and is authorised for both mechanised Infantry Battalion and Armoured Regiment.
Indian Coast Guard
Dornier-228
DAC accorded AoN for the procurement of an unknown number of Dornier-228 used by the Indian Coast Guard for maritime patrol, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR). The aircraft is produced under licence in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
NGFPV
Procurement of 14-18 Next-Generation Fast Patrol Vessels (NG-FPV) was approved at a cost of over 1,000 crore ($125 million).
NGOPV
Six additional Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels will be procured for the Indian Coast Guard at an approximate cost of 2,000 crore ($250 million). ICG signed a deal for six 115m NGOPVs with MDL at 1,614 crore ($192 million) in December 2023. The Offshore Patrol Vessels will have a maximum speed of 23 knots and a range of up to 5,000 nautical miles.
The Indian Coast Guard is expanding its fleet for carrying out surveillance, patrolling maritime zones, search & rescue and disaster relief operations.
Four projects have not been revealed in the press release issued by the MoD, the local media has reported about the approval of seven frigates under Project-17 Bravo being one of them. P-17B is a follow-up of the P-17A Nilgiri class frigate to be made between 2028 and 2035 at a project cost of 70,000 crore ($8.33 billion). The project will see a similar split of 3:4 hulls as P-17A, the shipyards expect the tender to be released around August 2025.