The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) last week cleared the procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk 1 A and 156 Light Combat Helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited among other big-ticket acquisitions worth £22.3 billion.
According to a Defence Ministry statement, the DAC has granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of LCHs for the Indian Air Force and the Army and LCA Mk 1A for IAF.
The DAC is among the top bodies for clearing major capital acquisitions for defence. The AoN is only the first step in the long defence procurement process; it does not necessarily lead to a final order.
Both the orders were already in the pipeline. While addressing the media in October, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari had said the contract for the additional 97 Tejas Mk 1A jets is expected to be signed by the end of the year. The fighter jets will be an addition to the 83 jets ordered for the IAF in February 2021.
The IAF and the Army had raised a squadron each of the indigenous LCH, which was named Prachand. Of the 156 additional LCH to be procured, 90 are likely to be for the Army and 66 for the IAF.
The DAC also cleared the proposal to upgrade part of its Su-30 MKI fighter jets indigenously from HAL.
The Defence Acquisition Council, which is headed by the Defence Minister, is among the top bodies for clearing major capital acquisitions for defence. The Acceptance of Necessity is only the first step in the long defence procurement process. Grant of an AoN does not necessarily lead to a final order. As per the ministry, 98% of the total AoN amount will be sourced from domestic industries.