Boosting Atmanirbharta In Defence: Army Orders Made-In-India Weapons Worth Rs 7,300 Crore Utilising Emergency Purchase Powers

The Army has utilised emergency purchase powers to acquire weapon systems worth Rs 7,300 crore from Indian manufacturers, aiming to address the border threat posed by China.

Additionally, contracts valued at Rs 7,000 crore are nearing finalization and are anticipated to be signed within the upcoming weeks.

The procurement largely involves equipment from the private sector, encompassing drone and counter-drone systems, armaments, simulators, communication systems, and vehicles, as per sources within the defense establishment.

"We have awarded contracts for 49 schemes amounting to Rs 7,600 crore, and 34 more schemes totalling Rs 7,000 crore are in the final stages of procurement," revealed a source in the defense establishment.

This source further noted that trials and selection processes had been conducted in active collaboration with the industry.

The inventory of acquired systems includes logistic and nano drones, counter-drones, loiter munitions, unarmed aerial vehicle-launched precision-guided missiles, and automatic spectrum monitoring systems.

In August of the previous year, the Defence Acquisition Council bestowed authority upon the armed forces to procure equipment worth up to Rs 300 crore under the emergency clause.

These emergency powers complemented the protracted procurement process that typically spanned several years.

Consequently, the forces were granted the capacity to expedite equipment acquisitions up to Rs 300 crore, provided the induction took place within a year to meet urgent requirements.

Emergency powers had been previously invoked by the forces twice, notably during the 2020 Galwan crisis and following the Balakot air strikes.

However, a significant departure from previous practice, the current emergency powers are exclusively reserved for orders placed with Indian companies.

The bulk of orders placed, including those nearing finalization, have been secured by the Indian private sector.

The first three tranches of emergency procurement witnessed the signing of 68 schemes valued at Rs 6,600 crore.

In the past, the forces have placed emergency orders for urgently needed items such as loitering munitions, air-to-ground bombs, assault rifles, anti-drone systems, and border-utilised swarm drones.