₹52,000 Crore Defence Procurement Approved by DAC

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved defence procurement worth ₹52,000 crore, significantly bolstering India's combat readiness across multiple domains. The approved systems include: Akash Tarang air defence system, MPATGM (Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile), MRSAM (Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile), V-SHORADS (Very Short Range Air Defence System), advanced tank protection systems, and kamikaze drones. This decision reflects India's strategic focus on modernising armed forces capabilities amid regional security challenges, particularly border tensions with China and Pakistan. The procurement diversifies India's defence inventory with indigenous and strategically-aligned foreign systems. This is significant as India aims for 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' in defence with increased indigenous production coupled with selective foreign acquisitions. UPSC typically asks about: Defence modernisation budgets, defence procurement processes, DAC's role, India's military capabilities, and security preparedness. Mains essays often cover 'India's Defence Preparedness' and 'Self-reliant India in Defence'. This connects to previous questions on defence spending allocation and strategic autonomy.