The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)

Why in News ? The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has recently  accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals amounting to about Rs 79,000 crore from the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

Indian Army:

• Loiter Munitions: Often called “suicide drones,” these stay in the air for a period and then strike targets with high precision.
• Pinaka MRLS Upgrade: Guided rocket ammunition to increase the range and accuracy of India’s indigenous multi-rocket launcher.
• Drone Defense: Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction Systems (IDD&IS Mk-II) to protect assets from enemy drone swarms.

Indian Navy:

• HALE Drones: Leasing of High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones to maintain 24/7 surveillance over the Indian Ocean.
• Software Defined Radios: For secure, high-frequency communication during sea operations.

Indian Air Force:

• Astra Mk-II Missiles: Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missiles with a range of over 200 km.
• SPICE-1000 Kits: Guidance kits to turn ordinary bombs into long-range precision-guided “smart” bombs.

About the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC):

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) is the highest decision-making body within the Indian Ministry of Defence. Its primary mandate is to ensure the speedy procurement of military equipment and platforms for the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as the Indian Coast Guard.

On December 29, 2025, the DAC, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, cleared proposals worth approximately Rs 79,000 crore, with a heavy focus on indigenous manufacturing and modern warfare tech like drones and precision munitions.

Composition of the DAC:

The council is structured to bring together civilian leadership and military expertise to prevent bureaucratic delays in national security.

• Chairperson: Union Minister of Defence (currently Shri Rajnath Singh).
• Members: * Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)

• • The three Service Chiefs (Army, Navy, and Air Force)
  • Defence Secretary
  • Secretary (Defence Production)
  • Secretary (Defence Research & Development – DRDO)
  • Secretary (Defence Finance)

Key Functions and Powers:

The DAC acts as a “clearing house” for all major capital purchases.

• Acceptance of Necessity (AoN): This is the most crucial step. Before any tender is issued, the DAC must grant an “AoN,” which officially acknowledges that the military needs the equipment.
• Categorization: The DAC decides whether the equipment should be:

• Buy (Indian-IDDM): Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured (Top priority).
• Buy (Indian): Bought from Indian vendors.
• Buy (Global): Imported from foreign manufacturers.

• Strategic Oversight: It approves the 15-year Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP), which outlines the military’s modernization goals for the next decade and a half.