- India does not disclose procurement timeline.
- New Delhi approves the acquisition of drones on board ships.
- New Delhi’s current defense budget amounts to $85 billion.
India on Friday approved the purchase of a range of military equipment for its defense forces worth $5.46 billion, including missiles, electronic warfare systems and Kamikaze drones.
The acquisition was approved “in principle” by the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC), made up of senior military officers and headed by the Minister of Defence, according to a government statement.
The statement said the estimated cost of the deal would be approximately 520 billion rupees ($5.46 billion).
It did not specify the period during which the acquisitions would be made or whether the systems approved for purchase will be imported or domestically produced.
New Delhi has sought over the past decade to reduce its dependence on Russia, its traditional main supplier of military equipment, by turning to other countries such as the United States and France, in addition to boosting domestic production.
The deal included the purchase of electronic warfare and anti-drone systems, medium-range man-portable surface-to-air and anti-tank missiles and a “jet-based Kamikaze drone system” for the Indian Army, the government said.
The DAC also approved the acquisition of new naval mines, shipboard drones and a testing facility to strengthen maritime defense and increase surveillance capabilities. India also plans to purchase a high-altitude drone platform for the air force, which will be used for intelligence gathering and remote sensing.
New Delhi’s current defense budget is $85 billion.
Meanwhile, India is also pushing to rapidly modernize its navy.
In December, New Delhi began ordering at least 75 ships and submarines, most of them domestically built.
Senior officials earlier this year approved the purchase of $39 billion worth of defense equipment, including Rafale jets from France.
