The Defence Ministry has given approval for a proposal to buy nine maritime surveillance aircraft for the Indian Navy and six maritime patrol aircraft for the Indian Coast Guard, news agency ANI reported on Friday, citing sources. The 15 maritime patrol planes would be built upon the Made in India C-295 transport aircraft, and the worth of the projects is around Rs 29,000 crore, the sources further stated.
Under the chairmanship of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded approval for Acceptance of Necessity (AoNs) for various capital acquisition proposals amounting to Rs 84,560 crore, according to an official statement, ANI reported.
As per the statement from the Defence Ministry, the approvals accorded on Friday lay special emphasis on the procurement of various equipment from Indian vendors. The statement stated that the DAC has accorded AoN under the Buy {Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured (IDDM)} category for the procurement of a new generation of anti-tank mines with seismic sensors and the provision of remote deactivation with additional safety features.
To enhance the operational efficiency and domination in the Tactical Battle Area for engaging targets that are Beyond Visual Line of Sight by the Mechanised Forces, the AoN under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category has been accorded the procurement of the canister-launched Anti-Armour Loiter Munition System, the statement further stated.
Further, In a bid to boost the Air Defence Systems, especially the capabilities to detect slow, small, and low-flying targets as well as surveillance, detection, and tracking of different targets, the AoN has been accorded the procurement of Air Defence Tactical Control Radar under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, as reported by ANI.