Kamikaze Drones, MRSAMs: India Gets Rs 52,000 Crore Defence Boost As DAC Clears Arms Procurement

Published 3 July 2026 · india

Kamikaze Drones, MRSAMs: India Gets Rs 52,000 Crore Defence Boost As DAC Clears Arms Procurement Published By, Last Updated: July 03, 2026, 17:24 IST According

Kamikaze Drones, MRSAMs: India Gets Rs 52,000 Crore Defence Boost As DAC Clears Arms Procurement Published By, Last Updated: July 03, 2026, 17:24 IST According to the Ministry of Defence, the AKASH TARANG system will provide effective protection against hostile drones for Army formations. The approvals cover a range of advanced military platforms and systems for the Army, Navy and Air Force.(Representational/PTI Image) The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the Ministry of Defence’s highest decision-making body on capital procurement, on Friday granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals worth about Rs 52,000 crore to strengthen the combat readiness and operational capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces. The DAC meeting was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with new Chief of Defence Staff, Army and Navy Chiefs in attendance. The approvals cover a wide range of advanced military platforms and systems for the Army, Navy and Air Force.

For the Indian Army, the DAC cleared the procurement of the AKASH TARANG anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) electronic warfare system, Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) systems, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) weapon system, Very Short Range Air Defence System (V-SHORADS), Active Protection System for tanks and jet-based kamikaze drone systems. According to the Ministry of Defence, the AKASH TARANG system will provide effective protection against hostile drones for Army formations, while the MPATGM will enhance the infantry’s capability to counter mechanised threats. The MRSAM system will strengthen medium-range air defence against stand-off aerial threats. The V-SHORADS, equipped with multi-spectral sensing technology, is expected to improve resilience against countermeasures, while the Active Protection System will enhance the survivability of tanks. The jet-based kamikaze drones are intended to improve electronic warfare capability with greater lethality, survivability and cost-effectiveness. For the Indian Navy, the DAC cleared the procurement of Multi Influence Ground Mines (MIGM), Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Systems (NSUAS) and the establishment of a Land Based Testing Facility (LBTF) for electric propulsion systems.

The ministry said the mines will help deny freedom of manoeuvre to adversaries at sea, while the shipborne unmanned aerial systems will improve the Navy’s situational awareness through advanced sensors. The testing facility will support the development and evaluation of propulsion systems for future naval platforms. For the Indian Air Force, the council approved the procurement of Fixed-Wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (FW-HAPS) and other equipment. These platforms are designed to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), telecommunications and remote sensing capabilities. The Defence Ministry said the acquisitions are aimed at enhancing the operational preparedness of the armed forces through the induction of advanced and next-generation defence technologies. The Acceptance of Necessity is the first stage in the procurement process and grants in-principle approval for acquiring military equipment. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news.