New Delhi approves defense procurement worth $17 billion

India has cleared ten proposals to purchase military assets, including combat vehicles, aircraft, and patrol vessels

India has approved several proposals to procure technology and weapons worth $17.2 billion, the Defense Ministry has said. Of the new purchases, 99% will be made from local vendors as part of India’s ongoing push to develop an indigenous weapons manufacturing market.

Among the approvals sanctioned on Tuesday by the Defense Acquisition Council, chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, are Future Ready Combat Vehicles for the army. According to the Defense Ministry, these are “futuristic” main battle tanks with superior mobility, all-terrain capability, multilayered protection, precision lethality, and real-time situational awareness.

India plans to acquire around 1,700 of these tanks to replace its aging fleet of Russian-origin T-72 tanks, as per an Economic Times report.

Proposals for the procurement of air defense fire control radars to detect and track aerial targets and forward repair teams for on-site repairs were also approved.

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To boost the capabilities of the Indian Coast Guard, New Delhi has approved the procurement of Dornier-228 aircraft, fast patrol vessels with “high operational features in rough weather conditions,” and offshore patrol vessels with “advanced technology and enhanced long-range operations.” These enhancements will help the coast guard with “surveillance, patrolling of the maritime zone, search and rescue, and disaster relief operations,” New Delhi said.

The Economic Times has linked the approval of these projects to China’s increasing assertiveness in the region. Amid an ongoing border dispute with India, Beijing has upgraded regional infrastructure such as airports and ports and deployed surveillance assets to counter India. New Delhi has also expressed concern over China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean Region and alleged underwater terrain mapping.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, in its annual assessment released in June, claimed that India expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2023, with an emphasis on developing warheads capable of striking targets in China. India is estimated to have increased the number of nuclear missiles from 164 to 172. China significantly increased its atomic arsenal during the same period, from 410 warheads in January 2023 to 500 in January 2024.