The defence ministry gave the preliminary approval for 10 military modernisation projects worth over £14 bn, including 1,770 futuristic tanks for the Army and seven advanced multi-role stealth frigates for the Navy in the long-term, with the ever-expanding threat from China figuring high on the radar.
The Rajnath Singh-led Defence Acquisitions Council (DAC) also approved four “amendments” to the over £5 bn deal for 26 Rafale-Marine fighters currently being negotiated with France. One of the amendments approved was to drop the proposed integration of the AESA (advanced electronically scanned array) radar being developed by DRDO with the French fighters, which will primarily operate from India’s new aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
“The indigenous radar integration would have proven very costly and time-consuming. The aim is to ink the contract for the 22 single-seat jets and four twin-seat trainers within this fiscal,” a source said.
The main DAC takeaways were the grant of the “acceptance of necessity (AoN)” to the £7.2 bn project to construct seven frigates, with advanced stealth features as well as the latest weapons and sensors, and the £5.7 bn programme for the future ready combat vehicles (FRCVs) or tanks.
The Army wants to induct the 1,770 FRCVs, with superior mobility and all terrain ability, multilayered protection and real-time situational awareness, precision and lethal firepower, from 2030 onwards.
The induction will be done in three phases, with 590 tanks in the first lot, to progressively replace the existing fleet of 2,400 Russian origin T-72 tanks. Each phase will see induction of newer technologies to ensure the highest level of survivability, lethality and agilit.
The first of the seven new frigates, with a displacement of around 7,000-tonne, will also roll out only by 2031-32 at the earliest under Project-17B.
Of the total cost of AoNs accorded, 99% were from domestic sources under the Buy (Indian) and Buy (Indian, indigenously designed developed and manufactured) categories, the MoD said.
The Coast Guard, in turn, will get additional Dornier-228 aircraft as well as next-generation fast patrol vessels and offshore patrol vessels with advanced technologies for enhanced longrange operations.
