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Internal Security July 03, 2026 6 min read Daily brief · #10 of 32

Defence body clears proposals to acquire ‘Akash Tarang’, MRSAM, VSHORADS, jet-based Kamikaze drones for Armed Forces

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to capital acquisition proposals worth approximately Rs 52,000 crore to enhance ...

GS Paper 3 (Internal Security Science & Technology Economy)

What Happened

  • The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to capital acquisition proposals worth approximately Rs 52,000 crore to enhance the combat readiness of the armed forces.
  • The approved systems include the Anti-UAV Electronic Warfare System 'Akash Tarang', Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) systems, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) weapon systems, Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS), Active Protection Systems (APS) for tanks, and Jet-Based Kamikaze Drone Systems.
  • Akash Tarang is designed to provide effective anti-UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) protection to Army formations.
  • VSHORADS is equipped with multi-spectral sensing to improve resilience against countermeasures and strengthen close-range air defence.
  • The Jet-Based Kamikaze Drone System is intended to provide improved electronic warfare capability with greater lethality and survivability in a cost-effective manner.

Static Topic Bridges

Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)

The Defence Acquisition Council is the highest decision-making body in the Government of India for defence capital acquisitions. It was established in 2001 following the Kargil War (1999) and the recommendations of the Group of Ministers' report on reforming the national security system. The DAC's primary mandate is to ensure expeditious procurement of the capabilities sought by the armed forces within the allocated budgetary resources.

  • Chairman: Union Minister of Defence.
  • Members: Minister of State for Defence, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Chiefs of Army, Navy, and Air Force, Defence Secretary, Secretary (Defence R&D / DRDO Chairman), and Secretary (Defence Production).
  • Key function: Accord of Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) — the first formal stage in any capital acquisition that confirms the requirement exists and the procurement category.
  • The DAC also approves the 15-year Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP) for the defence forces, setting the framework for future capability acquisition.
  • Established in the context of Kargil War lessons: the conflict exposed critical ammunition and equipment shortages arising from slow procurement processes.

Connection to this news: The AoN accorded by the DAC is the gateway approval that unlocks the formal procurement process for all six systems approved in this round. Without AoN, no tendering or contracting can commence.

Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 and Procurement Categories

The Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 — which replaced the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016 — is the overarching policy framework governing defence capital purchases. It prioritises indigenous procurement through a hierarchy of categories, aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The DAP 2020 introduced the 'Buy (Indian-IDDM)' category as the highest priority, requiring indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured products.

  • Procurement category hierarchy (highest indigenisation priority first):
  • Buy (Indian-IDDM): Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured; minimum 50% indigenous content.
  • Buy (Indian): Products manufactured in India; minimum 50% indigenous content.
  • Buy & Make (Indian): Technology transfer to Indian industry; at least 50% indigenisation in manufacturing phase.
  • Buy & Make: Limited foreign content with phased transfer.
  • Buy (Global): Foreign Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) supply; least preferred.
  • 'Make' categories (Make-I: government-funded; Make-II: industry-funded) promote domestic design and development.
  • Positive Indigenisation Lists: The government periodically notifies lists of equipment for which import is banned, mandating domestic procurement.
  • The DAP 2020 also mandates higher indigenous content thresholds progressively, incentivising the domestic defence industrial base.

Connection to this news: The Rs 52,000 crore DAC approval reflects India's commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence; several systems approved — including Akash Tarang and VSHORADS — are developed by domestic entities (DRDO, BEL, private industry), placing them in higher-priority indigenous categories.

Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) — Barak 8

The MRSAM is a medium-range surface-to-air missile system jointly developed by India's DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It is the land-based variant of the Barak-8 naval air defence system. The MRSAM provides multi-layered air defence against aerial threats including aircraft, helicopters, anti-ship missiles, UAVs, and ballistic missiles.

  • Range: up to 70 km (Extended Range variant planned up to 150 km).
  • Each weapon system comprises: Command and Control System, tracking radar, mobile launcher systems, and missiles.
  • The Air Force version was handed over to the Indian Air Force in August 2019.
  • The system is operational across all three armed forces — Army, Navy (as naval version), and Air Force — making it India's primary medium-range air defence platform.
  • DRDO and IAI collaboration reflects India's strategic defence partnership with Israel, a major source of military technology since the 1990s.

Connection to this news: The DAC's approval of additional MRSAM systems for the Army expands the existing multi-layered air defence architecture, particularly in the context of increased aerial threat vectors including drones and cruise missiles on India's borders.

Counter-UAV Technology and Drone Warfare

The emergence of drones as a cost-effective, precision offensive tool has fundamentally altered modern warfare. Kamikaze (or 'loitering munitions') drones are one-way attack platforms that loiter over a target area and dive into the target on detection — combining the persistence of surveillance drones with the lethality of precision-guided munitions. Counter-UAV (C-UAV) systems are becoming a critical component of integrated air defence.

  • Loitering munitions (kamikaze drones) gained international attention during the Azerbaijan-Armenia Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (2020) and the Russia-Ukraine war (2022 onwards).
  • Electronic Warfare (EW) systems such as 'Akash Tarang' are designed to detect, jam, and disable enemy drones by disrupting their communication and navigation links.
  • India's border skirmishes and the discovery of Pakistani drone intrusions (especially in Punjab and Jammu) have accelerated the Army's demand for C-UAV capabilities.
  • VSHORADS (Very Short Range Air Defence System) addresses close-in threats (within a few kilometres) with man-portable, shoulder-fired or vehicle-mounted missiles.
  • Jet-based kamikaze drones have greater speed, range, and payload compared to propeller-based loitering munitions, making them harder to intercept.

Connection to this news: The simultaneous approval of Akash Tarang (anti-UAV EW), VSHORADS (close-range air defence), and Jet-Based Kamikaze Drones signals India's intent to build a full-spectrum drone and counter-drone capability — both offensive loitering munitions and defensive suppression systems.

Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence

Launched in May 2020, the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-Reliant India campaign) identified defence manufacturing as a strategic pillar. India is one of the world's largest defence importers (historically ranked 1st or 2nd by SIPRI), and reducing import dependence is a stated national security and economic priority.

  • The Ministry of Defence has released multiple Positive Indigenisation Lists (PIL) banning import of specified defence items to force domestic procurement.
  • A dedicated Defence Industrial Corridor has been established in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
  • The target for domestic defence production: Rs 1.75 lakh crore by 2025 (original target); the government has revised and extended timelines progressively.
  • Defence exports target: Rs 50,000 crore (approx. USD 6 billion) by 2029.
  • DRDO, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) like HAL, BEL, BDL, and private sector (Tata, L&T, Mahindra Defence) are key domestic players.

Connection to this news: The Rs 52,000 crore DAC approval is a direct expression of Atmanirbhar Bharat — the bulk of the approved systems (Akash Tarang, VSHORADS, MPATGM) are either domestically developed or manufactured, keeping capital expenditure within the Indian defence industrial ecosystem.

Key Facts & Data

  • Total DAC approval: approximately Rs 52,000 crore (July 3, 2026)
  • Systems approved: Akash Tarang (anti-UAV EW), MPATGM, MRSAM, VSHORADS, Active Protection System (APS), Jet-Based Kamikaze Drones
  • DAC established: 2001 (post-Kargil War, 1999)
  • DAC Chairman: Union Minister of Defence
  • MRSAM range: up to 70 km; Extended Range (ER) variant: up to 150 km
  • MRSAM jointly developed by: DRDO (India) and IAI (Israel); based on Barak-8 system
  • DAP 2020 top procurement category: Buy (Indian-IDDM) — minimum 50% indigenous content
  • India's historical defence import rank: among top 2 globally (SIPRI data)
  • Defence Industrial Corridors: Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
  • Positive Indigenisation Lists: issued by Ministry of Defence to ban specified imports
On this page
  1. What Happened
  2. Static Topic Bridges
  3. Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)
  4. Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 and Procurement Categories
  5. Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) — Barak 8
  6. Counter-UAV Technology and Drone Warfare
  7. Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence
  8. Key Facts & Data
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