New Delhi: At its first meeting this year, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved procurement of equipment worth over Rs 5,100 crore from indigenous sources.

In a significant step, it cleared the shortlisting of Indian Strategic Partners (SP) and the potential Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) that would collaborate with SPs to construct six conventional submarines in India aimed at boosting Make in India.

The meeting which is the first after the constitution of Chief of the Defence Staff, also considered several new and ongoing proposals for procuring critically needed platforms and equipment for the Armed Forces.

The equipment worth over Rs 5,100 crore include sophisticated Electronic Warfare Systems for the Army designed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured locally by the Indian industry. These systems will be used in deserts and plains and will provide comprehensive Electronic Support and Counter Measure capabilities to the field formations in both communication and other aspects of Electronic Warfare.

The submarine is being progressed under the ‘Strategic Partnership Model’, promulgated in 2017 to give a major boost to Make in India in Defence Sector.

The DAC also approved prototype testing of trawl assemblies designed by DRDO for T-72 and T-90 tanks providing an important indigenous de-mining capability to the Army.

The Strategic partner is expected to play a transformational role in building an eco-system in the country, comprising development entities, specialised vendors and suppliers, especially those from the MSME sector.

SP Model also aims at promoting India as a manufacturing hub for defence equipment, in addition to establishing an industrial and R&D eco-system capable of meeting the future requirements of the Armed Forces besides giving boost to exports.

The DAC also accorded approval for inclusion of Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) in Defence Procurement Procedure. This would provide avenues in capital procurement for the Armed Forces to startups and innovators working for iDEX and provide huge fillip to their budding efforts.

The decisions are also in keeping with the mandate given to the CDS and the newly-constituted Department of Military Affairs to promote use of indigenous hardware by the Services.