The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Monday cleared capital acquisition proposals worth about Rs 2.12 lakh crore for the Army, Navy and Air Force. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting.

Around 82 percent of the procurement will be sourced from Indian industry, according to the Ministry of Defence.

The clearances were given as Acceptance of Necessity (AoN). This is the first formal step in any defence purchase, and it confirms that the forces need the equipment. Trials, bids, price negotiations and contract signing follow under the Defence Ministry's procurement procedure. The figure at this stage is an estimate.

Ten Army systems cleared in the Rs 2.12 lakh crore package

The Army has the longest list, with ten items ranging from vehicles and guns to helicopters and drones.

High Mobility Vehicles were cleared to improve movement, logistics and support in difficult terrain. A Self-Propelled Tracked Gun System will give mechanised formations artillery that matches their mobility and firepower, the ministry said. The Gun Shot Response System is meant to give troops real-time awareness of the situation around them.

Light Multi Role Helicopters were also approved. They will be used for reconnaissance, surveillance, combat roles, search and rescue, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Six of the Army approvals cover drones and air defence

The Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) is intended to counter small, new generation aerial threats. A platform based Counter Unmanned Aerial System will help tanks survive on the modern battlefield.

Three more items deal with unmanned flying. The Unmanned Aerial System Brick Long Range adds long range unmanned capability, Surveillance UAVs will improve battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance, and an Integrated Surveillance and Strike System combines target acquisition with strike.

The Long Range Kamikaze Drone System completes the list. It will strengthen the Army's long range precision strike capability. No range figure was given.

A separate indigenous military drone procurement worth around Rs 17,000 crore was reported in June.

Navy cleared for a decoy system and new indigenous warships

For the Navy, the council approved an Active Offboard Decoy System (AODS). According to the ministry, it will make the ship's defence against missiles more reliable, especially against modern anti-ship missiles. Offboard decoys are released away from the vessel to pull an incoming missile off course.

Major naval platforms were also cleared. These will be designed and built in India, with modern warfare capability, and will add to the Navy's combat strength. The statement did not name the class or the number of vessels.

Air Force gets helicopters, air defence systems and a weather radar

The Air Force received approval for helicopters, air defence systems, weapons and a Mobile X-Band Doppler Weather Radar System. The ministry said these will add to the force's air defence and warfighting capability, while the Special Utility Helicopters will meet important air transport needs.

The weather radar will provide high resolution, localised weather tracking in forward areas.

Second big DAC round in two months

Monday's clearance comes about seven weeks after the previous round. In September, the council cleared proposals worth about Rs 1.10 lakh crore covering CBRN reconnaissance vehicles, Arudhra radars, Advanced Light Helicopters and other systems, as set out in the ministry's release at the time. In July, it had approved proposals worth around Rs 52,000 crore.

The largest round this year came in March, when the council cleared about Rs 2.38 lakh crore, including the S-400 long range surface to air missile system. That meeting closed 2025-26 with AoN for 55 proposals worth Rs 6.73 lakh crore, the highest in any financial year.