India kicks off much-needed review of arms procurement procedures | India News

Review of its cumbersome defence acquisition process (DAP) of 2020.

NEW DELHI: India has kicked off the much-needed complete review of its cumbersome defence acquisition process (DAP) of 2020, with the goal to slash timelines in procurement of weapon techniques and platforms in addition to promote self-reliance in design, improvement and manufacturing with larger non-public sector participation.The defence ministry on Thursday mentioned a committee headed by further secretary and director basic (acquisition) Dipti Mohil Chawla, which incorporates senior officers and representatives from the business and academia, has already begun consultations with all stakeholders. Former well being and I&B secretary Apurva Chandra, who had a stint because the DG (acquisition) in MoD, is the principal advisor to the committee. “The panel has invited suggestions from stakeholders on various fronts, including procedural changes to streamline the acquisition processes, by July 5,” an official mentioned.The goal of the DAP review is to fulfill the operational necessities and modernisation of the armed forces “in a timely manner to ensure national security” and align acquisition procedures with govt insurance policies to realize “atmanirbharta” (self-reliance) by selling know-how infusion via indigenously designed and developed techniques.“The ‘Make in India’ policy also needs to be enabled by promoting defence manufacturing in India through facilitation of JVs and transfer of technology for the private sector, encouraging foreign arms manufacturers via FDI alignment, and establishing a global defence manufacturing and MRO hub here,” he mentioned.“The idea is also to promote design and development in both public and private sectors, with a focus on start-ups, innovators, and the private defence industry for indigenous technology infusion,” he added.At current, it typically takes a number of years after a case will get the preliminary `acceptance of necessity’ (AoN), which is adopted by the floating of the preliminary tender or the RFP (request for proposal), discipline trials, business analysis and the like, earlier than the ultimate contract is anyplace near being inked.Defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh not too long ago mentioned that the timelines for some of the processes within the procurement cycle have already been slashed, which might save round 69 weeks total.“There is a need to shift away from the traditional nomination based cost-plus procurement focused mostly on the public sector to a more competitive pricing model where both the public and private sector can compete for orders. This approach is already being implemented for ship-building and recently for the AMCA (advanced medium combat aircraft or the fifth-generation fighter) project,” he mentioned.The MoD within the 2024-25 fiscal utterly utilised the defence modernisation funds for the primary time within the final 5 years. Moreover, contracts price Rs 2 lakh crores have been inked, which is the very best ever and double that of the figures in 2023-24, he added.The AMCA undertaking, for one, actually must be majorly fast-tracked after the defence ministry final month lastly accepted a brand new “programme execution model” for prototype improvement, with larger non-public sector participation. Pakistan is on target to accumulate no less than 40 J-35A fifth-generation jets from China, which is now even flaunting sixth-generation prototypes with tailless airframes like Chengdu J-36 and Shenyang J-50, as reported by TOI earlier.The lengthy meandering developmental historical past of the fourth-generation Tejas, which started method again in 1983, can’t be repeated. The IAF continues to be ready to get the primary Tejas Mark-1A `improved’ fighter. Similarly, indigenous improvement of 110 Kilonewton engines, with or with out international collaboration, to energy the AMCA is important. The IAF is at the moment grappling with simply 30 fighter squadrons (every has 16-18 jets) when 42.5 are authorised.